Southampton Grand Cru

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

You can smell the Coriander and Star anise right away! It looks light orange with a paper thin head. Smells awesome! Very sweet from the star anise and coriander. A nice sweet slightly malty flavor of the above mention ingredients. full mouthfeel with what seems to be a little extra carbonation. Very active carbonation indeed! Light but very bubbly. Fills the mouth with flavor and explodes with a unique sweetness. I think I could drink this wonderful beer all damn day! Another hit from SOUTHAMPTON, although it is very sweet. Kudos!

750ml bottle, courtesy of NYbeer, thanks Steven. Great aroma, nice fruity/spiciness to it, very nice. Poured golden with a little tint of orange. Nice little sweetness to it. peppery with some apple in the backround. Damn tasty brew.

2006 Bottle generously shared by beastiefan2k. My rating is based upon this vintage, as it is the recipe still available today. Pours a bright orange-gold with a lasting, creamy beige head. The nose is funky, yeasty and woody with peppery/spicy phenols and lightly fruity esters in support. Medium-bodied with soft carbonation and a lightly woody, dry finish. Th flavor is a near perfect match to the nose. This is a nice brew. Thanks again for sharing this with us, Eugene.

2005 Bottle also shared by beastiefan2k for a side-by-side. According to Eugene, this green-glassed 750 ml bottle was the original recipe bottled at the brewpub. Pours a cloudy orange-amber with tons of chunky sediment; zero head. The nose is lightly sour and sweet with a honey-on-toast note, a touch of sour fruitiness and a touch of wood. Medium-bodied and grainy with a vinous, lightly boozy finish. Sweet and dry simultaneously, it follows the nose with a ’warm’ finish. This is an interesting brew, but it’s a touch hotter than I’d prefer, and I definitely prefer the new recipe/bottlings. Thanks for sharing these with us Eugene. (3/8/3/7/14-3.6)

Bottle from MaltOMeal, shared at October Houston tasting. Pours average amber with an aroma of peachy ice tea and cereal. (I have ice tea on the brain, I think.) Flavor is melted candy sugar with a pancake syrup finish. Mouthfeel is slick and syrupy. Alcohol is well hidden.

750 ml bottle. Thanks to MrChopin. Shared at October Houston Tasting. Pours a clear orange-amber with a white head. Nose is of orange peel and spice. Taste is also of orange peel and spices. Mouthfeel is very sweet and sticky. Alcohol is well hidden.

Bottle thanks to MrChopin, thanks Kevin. Poured a clear amber-orange color with a thick off-white head that faded to a soapy layer and left some spotty lacing. Lightly sweet, spicy aroma with some coriander, citrus (namely orange peel), and a moderate yeastiness. Sweet entry with some light orange peel and just a hint of tart lemon transition into a soft, spicy flavor with some coriander and a light floral finish. Soft carbonation, smooth on the palate. A bit sweet for my liking, but still a good beer.

750 ml corked and caged 2005 and 2006 Vintage bottles provided by beastiefan2k for the 10/18 tasting. Tasted side by side.

2005 Vintage. This is the bottle that is pictured and was brewed and bottled at the Publick House brewpub. Pour is cloudy, sediment filled orange ruby with no head whatsoever. Aroma of rounded caramel, big sweet cane sugar sweetness. Full, very pretty nose. Cidery bite. Taste is the caramel maltiness with bright ginger and coriander. Finish is grassy, long earthiness. Nice, though, perhaps a bit past prime. Palate is long and mouth coating. (9,3,7,4,16 - 3.9)

2006 Vintage. Brewed and bottled at Sly Fox. Appearance is the same as the 2005 with less sediment and a 1/2 off white head. Aroma is quite different from the 2005: floral, slight honey sweetness, grassy - spicy. Taste is the spicy floral, with caramel layered over the top of it. Grassy, a little metallic in the finish. Quite different beer from the 2005, though good in its own right. (7,4,8,4,15 - 3.8)

Overall, I thought the 2005 had a bit more character.

750 corked and caged poured into a trappist galss has an orange amber color and a thin off white head. aroma has loads of spices (coriander, anise, cinamon, clove), orange zest, sweet malt, and perfume. mouth feel is light with fizzy carbonation. flavor is definately spice domanited, bitter orange, sweet malt that is totally overpowered, and light bitters. I just cant get past the termendous spicing against the bitter orange and it reminds me of tasting perfume. not for me.