North Coast Cru dOr (Whole Foods)

Brewed by North Coast Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Fort Bragg, California USA

Pours a deep ruby with a creamy Belgian head, that recedes quickly to a thin film of lacing. Just a little light comes through, revealing a few tiny bubbles rising. Aroma is very nice; Lots of brown sugar and banana mostly. Flavor is of banana again, honey, roasted malt, skunky-bitter finish. Nice flavor overall, not that one should expect anything otherwise from North Coast. Mouthfeel is par for the style; Creamy with spritz at the end. A very nice interpretation of the style. Overall, very good.

THOUGHTS: I was not expecting a dark beer so this was a nice surprise. It was reminiscent of Gouden Carolus Grand Cru, but not as complex. This was way beyond what I was expecting. Not that I don’t love North Coast, but I figured it would be dumbed down for Whole Foods. The flavor could be a little stronger, but I’d probably get this again. Hid alcohol well. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a medium reddish brown with a small, off-white head that mostly diminished and left fair lacing. The aroma was moderate to heavy caramel malt and candy sugar, lighter milk chocolate, earthy and slightly banana-like yeast, cherry, brown sugar, maple syrup, wood and very light alcohol. The initial flavor was sweet and a little acidic; while the finish was lightly sweet, a little sour and slightly bitter with and average to long duration. There was caramel, brown sugar, maple syrup, light hops, candy sugar, slight alcohol, yeast tea and slight coffee. The medium to full palate was syrupy then dry with fizzy carbonation and a slightly metallic, moderately to heavily astringent, lightly alcoholic and dry finish.

Pours light mahogany into a tulip. Off-white head quickly recedes to barely touch rim. Sweet burnt molasses aromas. Thin with dark caramel upfront turning sweet and yeasty in the burnt finish.

pours a dark bronze colour with a nice head taste very strong taste of acl and molasses

Pours a three finger cream head that fades quickly leaving traces of lace. Cloudy dark amber color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Molasses nose. Flavor is sweet baked molasses but not cloying. $2.50 for a 12oz bottle from Beverage Warehouse Winooski, VT.

I was dissapointed with this brew.The nose was awesome.Sweet, caramel with a flurry of dark fruits.The flavor was sweet but way too carbonated, almost seltzer like flavor.

Ugh. I dont know. Something was way off on this one for me. First, it was WAY carbonated. Tiny bubbles everywhere...Aroma was nice. Hints of vanilla and caramel. Flavor was a bit of that up front, and some seltzer cherry water on the back end. I just didnt care for it all that much.

Cloudy cinnibar pour raises a small camel head. A bouquet of rummy-plummy, molasses, candied fruits, almond, and minty spice fills my tulip glass. Tastes dry and waxy, spicy, candyish… a caramel apple flavor with a nod toward strawberry. Becomes sweeter as it warms in the glass. Full rond body, milky, with scratchy carbonation. Anise aftertaste. Pleasant beer.