Victory Grand Cru

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

Murky amber with tiny white head. Sweet and somewhat oxydized aroma with vinous, ripe fruit and caramel notes. Sweet flavor with woody, caramel, ripe fruits and hoppy notes. Rather vinious.

Bottle. Hazy orange coloured with a medium sized off white ehad. Sweet and fruity aroma of spices and wood with notes of dried fruits and medicine and oxidated notes. Sweet flavour of fruits and citrus with notes of caramel, dried fruits and wood. Finish of dried fruits.

Blind tasting at Papsoes place, another great session, thanks Henrik! Beer #13: Pours orange with a fully diminished off white head. Wineous and woody aroma, light salmiac note. Flavour is sweet, light yeasty and mild spiced. Light sweet and light yeasty finish. This actually works great flavourwise but not in the aroma.

# 13 Bottle. [Papsoe’s great blind tasting, thanks Henrik!] Average thick fin bubbled head that mostly lasted. Cloudy amber-golden color. Fair display of lacework. Toasted malt, grain, berries, alcohol, raisin and fruit. Over the palate came sour notes, citrus some grapy with mild spice. Medium bodied with an average carbonation and light dry alcoholic texture. Moderated sweet with some sour and bitter flavor. Light sour and sweet fruity finish. 7-3-7-3-14 = 3.4 19-04-2008

Date: February 21, 2004
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, RateBeer SE Gathering, 2004
Appearance: light amber
Aroma: light sweet malt aroma
Flavor: rich malt flavor with a nice balancing bitterness

Date: November 05, 2004
Aroma: spicy sweet malt aroma
Flavor: light rich heavy malt flavor, lots of complexity, low bitterness

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.6/5.0
Score: *4

The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

(2003 Vintage) Appearance: Pours an amber color with a grand billowing ivory head. Smell: Very fragrant and sweet-smelling of apricots, candy sugar, and dark fruits. Taste: Begins with the sweetness of caramel and candied fruits (notably tangerines and apricots). Evens out with biscuity, toasted malts and a woody hop flavor. Very dry, spicy finish. Distinctly, this beer isn’t entirely dominated by yeast or spices as some Belgian beers are. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body, with a high, surging level of carbonation. Drinkability: A fairly likeable Belgian-style ale.

Bottle sampled pours orange/copper with a small compact off-white head. Aroma of fruit, candy sugar, spices, belgian style yeast, and caramel (very nice). The flavor is also sweet, acidic fruit, caramel, citrus, smooth at 9% and spices are present. Good healthy body, good brew.

’03 bottle, courtesy of Steve German. Dull orange with little head. Sweet, fruity, malty caramel aroma with apricot. Soft on the palate and sweet but not cloying. Tart, lightly fruity, mildly spicy and ending earthy in flavor. I get some marzipan. Nice understated ale.