New Belgium Abbey Grand Cru

Brewed by New Belgium Brewing Company
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Nice deep russet muddy brown color with a finger high head of frothy ivory colored creamyness. Fades fast, leaves very minimal whispy thin lace that appears from a fast fading sheet after each sip. Aroma is a whole lotta plum, malty sweet, alcoholic with some notes of dark cherry, raisin, and toffee with a yeasty spiced overlay. Taste is super mild, soft, and malty sweet, dulled dark fruityness of raisin and plum mostly upfront leading through and into the midway point with fruit skin dryness- raisin, pear, grape, apple skins and yeasty spiced dryness. A nice finish with this one that also gets a late easy dried hop bitterness that comes through. Feel is fairly creamy throughout and nearly full in alot of aspects and finishes with a variety of drying layers. Alcoholic hints barely show in this, but can be noted in some warming in the throat very late, and even later in the Ol' sensory factory. A nice Grand Cru, not as complexing or spiced as some but note worthy and respectable and a must try for any beer lover.

Aroma is sweet malt, alcohol, candy sugar, raisins and figs. Very appealing! Color is an aboslutely gorgeous mahogony that almost glows in the glass when held up to the light! Light carbonation and no head whatsoever. I've been holding on to this beer for a few months, which I acquired in a trade. Big, full body! Nice sweet malty profile. Slightly spicy. It has that tell-tale Belgian "pepperiness" thanks to the yeast. A big beer, but the alcohol is well hidden and is not cloying at all. Nice candy sugrar profile as well. Would love to have this on tap. My biggest complaing is lack of head retention. (I have a very clean glass, that I'm sure of!) Other than that, a very well made, big beer!

Pours a dark brown/ruby color, not hazy at all. Nice head which stays until the end with lacing that sticks to the side to keep you company throughout the drink. The aroma is lightly fruity with a yeast front and a malty background. The fig/plum aroma in this one reminds me alot of a well rounded quadrupel. This finishes a little more acidic and with more of an alcohol kick than I'm used to in the style, but overall this was a great beer with all the belgian qualities that I strive to find in a beer. Way to go NB, now you just need work on your other beers.

Very nice ruby pour with a thin layer of head. Fruit and malt in the nose, a bit doughy. Very rich flavors of fruit, maybe raisin, some caramel. Ends nicely with a touch of bitterness. Medium bodied and creamy.

This was just an awesome dubbel. I really like the abbey dubbel but the grand cru is just spectacular and I am not sure which one I like better. Just a great aroma, fruity and an appearance that says, I am luscious. A very complex flavor follows the aroma. Very buttery and rich with some mixture of fruits that are dark and light. The mouthfeel is very full, creamy and rich. I would love to have some more of this to let it age for awhile.

Had this on tap at the Falling Rock in Denver. Wonderful aroma of bananas and chocolate. The appearance is dark brown with a slight reddish tint. Flavor is also complicated: sweet banana fruitiness with a deeper chocolateness. Excellent mouthfeel that masks the alcohol content. Special note that this beer improved quite a bit once it warmed up to proper serving temperature.

Deep chestnut, slim head. Fruity nose, candy sugar apparent. Bitter, from dark roasted malts, dry, taste of brown candi sugar. Some banana, but restrained. Well-bodied, alcohol very obvious. Interesting - a whole other interpretation with the words 'Grand Cru'. Any name is better than Quadrupel. Infinitely better than their double.

Deep ruby hue. Smooth, with lots of small bubbles and smooth lacing. Sweet alcohol nose full of mild cherries, run, chocolate and big time banana. Smooth up until the alcoholic and harsh finish, but as it warms this alcohol is covered by a smooth banana flavor. Mild, and I appreciate the subtle flavor mixtures while still liking the strong alcohol. In my experience this is the beer that improved the most as it warmed to proper temperature.