Victory Grand Cru

Formerly brewed at Victory Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Downingtown, Pennsylvania USA

’03 bottle. Clear reddish-brown body with a clingy head. Airy, fruity aroma with apricot, alcohol and dates. Big alcoholy flavor: has yeast, dark fruit, brown sugar and some herbal hops. Has a grain husky, yeasty finish. Reminds me of a barley wine.

This has a large white head and a dark orange body. The aroma is dirt with flowers, herbs and some honey ham. Very interesting. The taste was a buttery pancake syrup. It als had tangerines. This had plenty of carbonation and a sticky mouthfeel. Victory continues to keep makign solid beers in various styles. Thanks, MrFacto for sharing this.

poured a light red w/ small thin soapy bubble head. Smelled of citrus, grapefruit, tangerine, etc & clean hopps. It was very smooht and creamy had a rich texture w/ hints of alcohol. The taste was sweet w/ a bit of a bitter backer hints of some spice were noticed within the fruity sweet taste. I thought this was an excellent beer that I would enjoy again.

Rich cherry wood is lain atop golden oak. Nice colour. Some barleywine-like aromas with malts and maybe raisins or figs or dates. Seemed more like an American Strong Ale than a Belgian Strong Ale in the sense that it seemed to have more bitter hop flavours and fewer candied sweet flavours than expected. Quick finish with noticeable alcohol on tongue. Not bad but not great - just nicely enjoyable.

May 2003 750 ML bottle: Lasting off white head on a hazy amber body. A little musty and earthy with hints of oak & sherry. Orange peel fruitiness, but not citrusy, light vinous notes and bready malt; yeasty spiciness. Well balanced at first, but turns bitter in the dry finish and especially the aftertaste. Woody hop flavor, light alcohol sweetness, light grape fruitiness, and toasted malt all drowned by the hop flavors and bitterness. Very finish is lightly tart and has a yeasty spiciness. Highly carbonated, fuller bodied (also poured a little syrupy), and lightly dry m/f. Very well hidden alcohol. All flavors seem to be muted by the hops. Could be a very good Belgian style if the bitterness was toned down a bit.

The complexity of the beer, similar to their golden monkey and whirlwind, goes somewhat overboard in this selection. In fact, this one is the most ambitious of the three. Meant to be enjoyed slowly, it has a plethora of flavors, some fruit with plenty of spices. I thought I could have enjoyed it a little more, not bad though.

cloudy peach color with creamy beige head. Clean apricot nose with sweet figs. Flavors of thick rich malt some banana and suptle orange flavors.

Pours with a huge head. Aroma full of belgian yeast and spices. I find it has an off taste that I cant put my taste buds on. This is a beer that I think Ommegang does better and for half the price.