Val-Dieu Grand Cru

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

Brown bottle, 75 cl, best before 03/10, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, savoured on October 18 2008; eye: ruby, clear, voluminous tan head that turns into a nice sheet, lots of lacing; nose: yeast, spices, caramel, fruity, alcohol; mouth: foamy, caramelized malt, alcohol, candied fruits, maple water, yeast, light ash, finale in caramelized malt with a light presence of spices, rich, rather sweet, slightly bitter, medium body, sticky texture, not much carbonation; overall: quite likalbe FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 75 cl, meilleure avant 03/10, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, savourée le 18 octobre 2008; œil : rubis, claire, mousse fauve abondante qui se transforme en une petite couverture, pas mal de dentelle; nez : levure, épices, caramel, fruité, alcool; bouche : mousseuse, malt caramélisé, alcool, fruits confits, eau d’érable, léger cendré, levure, finale en malt caramélisé avec une légère présence d’épices, riche, plutôt sucrée, à peine amère, corps moyen, texture collante, peu carbonatée; en résumé : bien aimé

Much thanks to Sycamore for bringing two of these to our table! Lovely and malty with strong caramel tones. Really nice grand cru, one of my favorite styles.

Bottled. Beer is clear, very dark brown, nearly opaque with a small, frothy, white, mostly and quickly diminishing head.<P> The aroma is malty with moderate notes of toasted grain, toasted nuts, light notes of chocolate; Hoppy with moderate notes of resin/pine; Yeasty with moderate notes of buttery pastery dough, basement; Moderate miscellaneous note of spicy alcohol. <P> The flavor is moderately-to-heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter with a long, warm, trace bitter, lightly acidic, moderately sweet finish.<P> The body is full, the texture is velvety and the carbonation is lively.<P>Very rich and desserty.

On tap at the Happy Gnome. Deep amber brew served way to cold at first.This needed to warm up a bit and I was happy I let it do so as I was rewarded with a warming alcohol nectar that was laden with dark fruit flavor with some interesting spices. Anise seed or some thing else that might have been sold in some mMiddle Eastern market.

Pours a nice deep brown color with notes of molasses, cherries, and dark fruit. It was fizzy with good lacing, with flavors of dark fruit and sugary goodness. Excellent beer.

750 ml. Fizzy tan head that reduces to pools floating atop a hazy brown body with orange highlights. Sweet aroma of brown sugar, cookie, overripe dark fruit, week-old banana, slight band-aid and mustiness. Hint of flowers and clove. The flavor is heavily sweet and lightly bitter and finishes moderately sweet and moderately bitter — enough bitterness to take the edge off the sweetness and keep it from becoming cloying. Medium to full body with a texture that starts watery but turns smooth and somewhat sticky. Tasty and enjoyable.

Dark brown pour with a minimal beige head. Big Belgian nose with yeasty, bready notes ... very malty. Flavor is rich and malty with an interesting nearly sour tang ... almost a touch of Flanders Red. Nice body and mouthfeel. Great.

Bottle. Poured brown with a frothy off-white head that had some lasting and left light lace. Aromas of brown sugar and dark fruits. The flavor found sweet malts and brown sugar. Medium body.