Val-Dieu Grand Cru

Brewed by Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-Dieu
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Aubel, Belgium

An opaque ebony-amber. A sip, a flush of memories over my mind, as I remember what it was like in my beer aficionado days of two years ago. All those memories of travelling cities, tasting the malts... this beer did for me what fine food and drink is supposed to do -- complement new experiences, and remind you gregariously of the old.

On tap at Brouwers - Seattle, WA USA A fantastic beer. Malty with spices, it’s Belgium yeasty aroma. There is a lot going on as far as flavor - raisins, plums. A very elegant beer indeed and not at all heavy.

Name: Winter
Date: 01/15/2006
Mode: Draft
Source: Brick Store Pub

dark red, frothy tan head, lightly spiced sweet fruity aroma, nice rich ripe fruit flavor, lots of plum and dates,
-------- /> Name: Winter
Date: 01/20/2006
Mode: bottle

just as rich as the draft version, still lacking the depth that would make it truly excellent

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.3/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4
-------- /> Date: 07/09/2008
Mode: Draft
Source: Brick Store Pub

Appearance: hazy dark red, thick creamy beige head, lots of drippy lace,
Aroma: sweet fruity aroma, light earthyness,
Body: creamy body,
Flavor: rich malt flavor, lots of fruity sweetness, touch of malt candy, essence of dark fruits including plum and fig, nice peppery spicyness, light bitterness adds balance without detracting from the ripe fruits,

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4.1/5.0
Drinkability: 9/10
Score: ***+/4

On tap at River St. Alehouse, Pittston, PA. Very pleasant with its sweet cherry/raisin/date flavors with lots of malts and well hidden alcohol. Maybe a bit too sweet but it has a nice dark color, chewy texture and perfect carbonation.

Bottle 75 cl. Wow this was a bit surprise, and reminded me more of a Trappist Quardruppel then anything else. Large almost creamy like beige head that mostly lasted. Very thick as you pure it in the glass. Good display of lacework. Muddy like body with a very dark mahogany like color. Aroma was explosive with notes of overripe fruit (prune, date, fig, and raisin), caramel and grain, light roasted malty notes, almost vinous over the palate. Full bodied with an average carbonation and light sticky and alcoholic texture. Moderated sweet flavor with light notes of bitterness. Extremely nice and lingering finish. Reminds me of the Kasteel Donkel without the heavy underlying alcohol. Very nice beer!

Got a bottle at the brewery at Val Dieu. Yeasty, with traces of caramel and coffee. Nice spicy aftertaste. Definitely does not show the alcohol.

Bottled at Akkurat, Stockholm. Dark ruby, firm rich head. Fruity cherry aroma with grainy malt underneath. Sweet with dense bready caramelly malt. Really full bodied. Concentrated flavours of cherries, malt and candi sugar. Vinous notes of alcohol. No bitterness. A massive ale, think Kasteel Donker, but less sweet and a bit grainier.

On tap at Stone. Dark brown with a large creamy white head. Dark fruit and yeast aroma. Bright palate. Fig and chocolate taste with a sweet alcohol and vanilla taste to the finish.