Beer of the Weekend #1,000: Chimay Grande Réserve
I can’t think of anything thoughtful or commemorative to open my 1,000th beer review, so let’s crack open a brew and hit four digits!
The beer of the weekend is Chimay Grande Réserve, brewed by Bières de Chimay of Chimay, Belgium.
Serving type: 750 ml bottle. There is no discernible freshness date.
Appearance: Poured into my newly acquired Schlitz goblet. The color is very dark. It appears black but turns out to be a very dark ruby brown. A finger of cappuccino-like head—very dense, buttery, light tan—sits atop the liquid and leaves rings on the glass after each sip. It looks amazing!
Smell: I can smell berries and fruit while the glass sits next to my laptop. The first whiff is a heavenly blend of fruit, spice, and roasted malt. It is very sweet, and cherry licorice is what comes to mind. Apple, banana, raspberry, plum, apricot, chocolate, and toasted nuts also come to mind. There is a hint of cloves. The fruit slowly fades as the beer continues to warm.
Taste: The first sip is an assault of deliciousness—and spice. It is much spicier than I expected. The alcohol is also present; a burning sensation lingers on the taste buds. It is not as sweet as the aroma, but the fruit is still there. It is a lot and very rich. I get flavors of banana, apple, cloves, roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, and cinnamon. It is a little peppery, too.
Fun facts about Chimay Grande Réserve:
• Style: Belgian dark strong ale.
• Price: $18.99 for a 750 ml bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 9 percent ABV.
• Food pairings: The Chimay website says it “goes perfectly with every Chimay cheese but particularly with the Chimay Première cheese” (https://chimay.com/us/taste-our/beers/#chimay-blue-2). In Great Beer Guide, Michael Jackson recommends Roquefort cheese. Though not a food pairing, Beers of the World says it is “[a]n after-dinner beer to enjoy with a cigar.”
• Serving temperature: The Chimay website recommends 10–12 degrees Celsius, which is 50–53.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Beers of the World recommends 57 degrees.
• Grande Réserve as #1,000 seemed meant to be. It was bookmarked in my copy of Great Beer Guide with a reminder card for an appointment that happened on my birthday sometime back in the day. And the beer’s added date on BeerAdvocate was my 19th birthday.
• Grande Réserve is also known as Bleue in smaller bottles.
• Speaking of bottles, Grande Réserve is also available in 1.5-liter, 3-liter, and 6-liter (!) bottles. I did not know 6-liter bottles were a thing.
• I decided to use a comma for the number. It feels right. I checked around, though, just to see what was recommended and why. Chicago uses the comma, though it says four numbers without a comma is acceptable for scientific publications. Wikipedia’s Manual of Style says to use a comma with five numbers, but use in four numbers is up to the editor’s discretion.
• I bought the Schlitz goblet at Polly Ann’s Vintage Market in Mount Vernon. I thought about getting a Chimay goblet at John’s, but opted for something vintage—at least I hope it is vintage. There is a nice selection of wide-mouthed beer glasses there.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A+.
The beer of the weekend is Chimay Grande Réserve, brewed by Bières de Chimay of Chimay, Belgium.
Serving type: 750 ml bottle. There is no discernible freshness date.
Appearance: Poured into my newly acquired Schlitz goblet. The color is very dark. It appears black but turns out to be a very dark ruby brown. A finger of cappuccino-like head—very dense, buttery, light tan—sits atop the liquid and leaves rings on the glass after each sip. It looks amazing!
Smell: I can smell berries and fruit while the glass sits next to my laptop. The first whiff is a heavenly blend of fruit, spice, and roasted malt. It is very sweet, and cherry licorice is what comes to mind. Apple, banana, raspberry, plum, apricot, chocolate, and toasted nuts also come to mind. There is a hint of cloves. The fruit slowly fades as the beer continues to warm.
Taste: The first sip is an assault of deliciousness—and spice. It is much spicier than I expected. The alcohol is also present; a burning sensation lingers on the taste buds. It is not as sweet as the aroma, but the fruit is still there. It is a lot and very rich. I get flavors of banana, apple, cloves, roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, and cinnamon. It is a little peppery, too.
Fun facts about Chimay Grande Réserve:
• Style: Belgian dark strong ale.
• Price: $18.99 for a 750 ml bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 9 percent ABV.
• Food pairings: The Chimay website says it “goes perfectly with every Chimay cheese but particularly with the Chimay Première cheese” (https://chimay.com/us/taste-our/beers/#chimay-blue-2). In Great Beer Guide, Michael Jackson recommends Roquefort cheese. Though not a food pairing, Beers of the World says it is “[a]n after-dinner beer to enjoy with a cigar.”
• Serving temperature: The Chimay website recommends 10–12 degrees Celsius, which is 50–53.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Beers of the World recommends 57 degrees.
• Grande Réserve as #1,000 seemed meant to be. It was bookmarked in my copy of Great Beer Guide with a reminder card for an appointment that happened on my birthday sometime back in the day. And the beer’s added date on BeerAdvocate was my 19th birthday.
• Grande Réserve is also known as Bleue in smaller bottles.
• Speaking of bottles, Grande Réserve is also available in 1.5-liter, 3-liter, and 6-liter (!) bottles. I did not know 6-liter bottles were a thing.
• I decided to use a comma for the number. It feels right. I checked around, though, just to see what was recommended and why. Chicago uses the comma, though it says four numbers without a comma is acceptable for scientific publications. Wikipedia’s Manual of Style says to use a comma with five numbers, but use in four numbers is up to the editor’s discretion.
• I bought the Schlitz goblet at Polly Ann’s Vintage Market in Mount Vernon. I thought about getting a Chimay goblet at John’s, but opted for something vintage—at least I hope it is vintage. There is a nice selection of wide-mouthed beer glasses there.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A+.
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