Victory Grand Cru

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

10 celsius in Leffe glass: Body is orange with medium carbonation forming a generous head, slowly diminishing off-white head consisting of rather large fizzy bubbles. Aroma is malty up front, juicy peaches and oranges complemented by a solid hoppiness close to an APA matched with the complexity of flowery belgian yeast. Taste is bready, malty with notes of banana, peaches and light clove spiciness. Dry mouthfeel, medium-full, medium-high carbonation. This stands around a hoppy tripel or Maudite, very pleasant and well-structured, but unexceptional. Thanks to Mike The_Beer_God!

5.15.2003. The juice of a blood orange beneath a thin, white head. An intense aroma with tonnes of ripe fruit, spicy yeast, esters, hops and alcohol. Nice malts, apple, peach, cherry, doughy bread, oranges, white pepper and mango liqueur. The body is rather moderate and the mouthfeel wavers between sumptuous and sharp. At times, it seems almost biting because of the strength of the alcohol. However, at other times the alcohol disappears to the point of almost leaving a void. The flavor profile matches the aroma fairly well and is also quite strong. There is an interesting hoppiness in the finish which adds the overall dry nature of the beer. Another pleasing beer from Victory and one where I think it would be nice to have anohter to lay down for a while.

I had this next to a V10. I liked this a little better. Has a bit more malt backbone and a heavier mouthfeel. Nice aroma of sweet citrus fruits and begain yeast. Flavor is sweet up front with a nice blend of spice and just a hint of hop flavor. Finish fadded into a nice yeasty lightly phenolic taste.

(Bottled on May/15/03) This American Belgian has a nice bouquet that is full of orange, coriander, and spicy hops. The palate is nice and airy, a good level of co2 for the style. Overall, I find the palate to be rather light given the beers strength. Tasty combination of yeast, sugars, malt, and hops. I really like this beer because it is on the dry side. The finish is crisp and hoppy. The lace lasted to the bottom of the glass.

A nice beer but lacking the one-two punch I'm used to from Victory, nothing I could rally around, just a well made, restrained, well-balanced beer (Not that that's a bad thing!).

2003 Vintage: Ahhh...another fine beer from Victory. There was a good bit of a "POP" when the cork came out. The beer poured a slightly orangish color. There was also a bit of a head to it. The head went away quickly, but there was some lacing. Sweet, yeasty nose. The taste was incredibly smooth. There were hints of various fruits, caramel, maltiness in the taste. Subtle and complex. Not quite as full bodied as the V-12, but an exceptional brew.

What nice things can I possibly say about Victory Brewing that haven't already been said! This is a fairly authentic Belgian Strong Ale that's got a fair amount of alcohol bite but also has the yeasty funkiness and aroma typical of Victory's Belgian brethren. That Belgian yeast really gives this brew the Belgian flavor you'd expect. As for hops and malt, well it's only moderately malty and lightly bittered, so hopheads needn't bother with this one. Bueno!

Speckled light orange color. Candyish nose with sweet malt and light fruit. Nicely hopped body with a firm maltiness and light yeast edges. A typical American style Belgian strong, yet tastey.