Bières de Chimay - Première (Red)

For the Sixth Beer of Christmas, we revisit my favorite Belgian brewer.

Bières de Chimay
Première

Chimay Grand Réserve is an old favorite. I reviewed it for Christmas 2011 and decided to pick up another of the Chimay family for this year's Twelve Beers.

Amber with tinges of purple and orange, the beer pours up an attractive glass with large off-white bubbles. The head disappeared quickly and left minimal lacing on the glass.

Peppery yeast is the first thought that comes to mind when inhaling the fragrance. There is also a sweet undertone, like bananas and citrus. It's a very clean smell.

The medium body of this beer is chased by crisp carbonation. The taste follows the aroma with sweetened black pepper, bananas, and light citrus (more lemon than orange) flavors along with some cloves and ginger. Overall the taste is a crisp and clean as the aroma. It's thoroughly enjoyable and refreshing.

While Première is quite a tasty drink, Grand Réserve costs the same (at least where I shop) and is, in my personal opinion, the better of the two.

Stats
Brewer: Bières de Chimay
Location: Baileux (Chimay), Belgium
Website: http://www.Chimay.com
Style: Dubbel
Alcohol Content: 7.0% ABV
Interesting Note: In sharp contrast to Rogue Ales, last night's brewer, Bières de Chimay only brews four beers: Grand Réserve, Première, Cinq Cents, and Dorée. The first three are readily available but the last is a special "patersbier" (or "Fathers' Beer") that is brewed for the monks themselves to drink. Until recently, it was only available to the monks at an inn near the abbey. But now the beer has branched out to a number of British pubs.

Bières de Chimay – Grande Réserve (Blue)

For the Twelfth Beer of Christmas, we celebrated in style.

Unlike some of the other beers, I’ve had this one before. Several times.  Chimay Grande Réserve has long been a celebratory beer around my house.  With every new job, I buy a bottle of Chimay. 

Accomplish something I’m proud of, I buy a bottle.  When Aubrey turned 21 and again when she graduated, I bought her a bottle.  And so, to celebrate the final night we bought another.

I won’t bother raving about how great this beer is.  Obviously it’s something special.   At least to me.  Instead, I’ll just tell you about it as I have the others.

It pours out a mahogany brown.  Translucent but not transparent.  The head forms rapidly and nearly overflowed the glass as I was getting ready to take the photo.  But it dissipates rapidly to a light frosting with low lacing.

Moderate alcohol esters follow cedar, dark fruit, and faint yeast scents.

The yeast and alcohol come through in the flavor along with roasted malt, raisins, and a smokey wood.  The carbonation is crisp and light.  A nice compliment to the silky smooth, medium body.

At nearly $13 a bottle (for 750 ml), this is probably not what you want for your staple beer (mine is Shiner Bock).  But I highly recommend that you find a reason to celebrate and grab a bottle of Chimay Grande Réserve. Maybe just celebrate that it’s Thursday!

Stats
Brewer: Bières de Chimay
Location: Belgium
Website: http://www.Chimay.com
Style: Strong Ale
Alcohol Content: 9.0% ABV
Interesting Note: Grande Réserve is a Trappist beer. These are brewed only by monks in Trappist monasteries. Of the 174 monasteries in the world, only 7 produce beer and are authorized to use the “Authentic Trappist Product” logo.