Southampton Grand Cru

Brewed by Southampton Publick House
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Southampton, New York USA

25.4 oz bottle; 2005. Chunks of sludge rise from the bottom after uncorking. Hazy copper brown with a dash of white head. Back at the bottle foam builds and pushes clots up through the neck that collapse at the top. Nose is buttery apricot jam and sticky caramel. Undertones of cooked cabbage. Taste is as puzzling as the nose. Over ripe peaches and plums, dried apricot and orange zest. Carb is there but its not. Feels syrupy but stays drinkable. I could have sworn this was infected but seems OK, just weird. More liqueur than beer.

Pours a two finger white head that fades slowly leaving traces of lace. Clear amber color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Spicy nose. Flavor has a lot going on, spices, malts, hints of alcohol and a sweet, clean finish . Pricey @ $13.00 for a 750ml bottle from Tully’s Beer and Wine Wells, ME.

Aroma of light sweet fruits. Some spices as well. Not an overpowering aroma at all. Opaque golden color, slightly cloudy. No head really, small off white. Very alcoholic in the taste, lots of spice, not much hops until the very end. It’s ok. Bubbly mouthfeel, decent. Don’t really like it, but I appreciate it.

Bottle - 750ml. Dark gold cloudy body with average carbonation and a lasting off-white foamy head. Good malty/hoppy aroma that hides the alcohol very well. It carries grassy, spicy and yeasty notes. Taste is well balanced. The yeasty flavors are exactly the same you find in Unibroue’s La Fin du Monde. It ends with a robust and warming bittersweet finish. Very enjoyable!

Bottle at Brickskeller in Washington, DC- shared by Artusory. Thanks Ryan! This was a contracted Sly Fox bottle. Pours dark hazy amber with an off white head. Aroma of pear, apple, yeast, and spice. Medium bodied with a super soft and pillowy texture. Initial flavor of Belgian pale malts , yeast, and clove. Mid palate is sweeter, with flavors of pear, coriander, and subtle licorice. Finish has a very slight hint of alcohol and white pepper. This was surprisingly good. No, not good, VERY GOOD.

Bottle at the Brickskeller. Golden bronze pour with a suspended cloud of yeast particle. Slick, sweet, but pleasant aroma of french toast grilled with honey. Quiet hints of green apples and cinnamon. Flavor is a noisy collage of wet ground coriander, dry anise, and buttered cinnamon bread. Some banana bubblegum lining. There’s a mild suggestion of wet cardboard oxidation underneath. Hints of rain soaked maple, prickly, sour champagne, and medicinal leanings. Seriously heavy yeast. Palate of medium strength, forcefully sweet but not sugary. Very close to intricate. Pleasant; unique.

Date: May 20, 2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Noog II
Appearance: opaque yellow, big fine white head, nice lace
Aroma: very musty moldy spicy aroma
Body: creamy body
Flavor: funky malt flavor, lots of spicy yeasty character, touch of lemon

Date: June 11, 2006
Source: tasting
picking up some nice fruity sweetness to balance everything out,

Date: January 02, 2009
Mode: bottle
Source: tasting
Aroma: sweet fruity aroma with a nice spicyness, lots of fruity esters, light spicy phoenolics
Flavor: rich and fruity flavor, candy sweetness, nice balancing spicyness

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.3/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **+/4

750ml bottle. Pours cloudy orange golden color with full foamy off white head. Aroma of yeast and orange. Taste of yeast, orange and caramel with clean finish. The alcohol is noticed in the taste.