Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Chimay Grand Reserve (Blue)

Grand Reserve is a delightful Belgian Strong Dark Ale. In the 33 cl bottle, it is called Blue. In the .75 l bottle is stamped Grande Réserve.

The beautiful, warm, dark color and compact, light brown head of Chimay Blue are a magnificent sight. This beer is undeniably the result of a divine marriage between exuberant fruit aromas and delicious chocolate. The initial taste is slightly sweet, before the creamy caramel transforms into a smooth mocha with a lively spicy character, finally developing into a delightful candied fruit finish. The extremely flavorful whole evolves into a long, pleasant aftertaste, evoking a slightly comforting feeling and a sensation of pure chocolate.

Beer AdvocateThe Chimay Blue is a dark ale with a powerful aroma. Its complex flavor improves with passing time.

Tasting notes 
260226: I drank the second bottle of a four-pack. I remember that the first did not hit my spot. It was too much clove. The second bottle had evolved and was really good, a great example of strong Belgian Ale. It is complex: some figs, some stone fruits, some subtle hops.
(2311) Alex and I shared a bottle during Lisa's birthday dinner. I think that it was bottled around February 10, 2022 and has aged 1.75 years: the label reads L22-040. I did not enjoy the beer as much as I remember. It did not WOW me. I am downgrading the rating to 5 glasses.
(1106) A bottle w/ about 6-8 months on it. A delight.
(1101) Complex and difficult to describe. Not sweet as I was expecting. Musty apples, a dash of cinnamon, and a light hop bite. Complexity may merit 6 glasses. 
(0911) A bottle in NYC. Brown sugar, apple butter, and light hops. 
(0701) A delight. Brown sugar, spiced slightly sour oranges, and light hops. Winelike. Upgraded from 2/8. 
(????) Had a 12 oz. bottle. Looked for something else after the bottle was empty.May be worth another try. 

Rating: 5 glasses

Previous ratings: 2, 5, then 6 glasses