19 October 2008

Beer Review, Brasserie des Rocs Grand Cru

Brasserie des Rocs Grand Cru

(This beer is no longer brewed)

Appearance: Dark brown body, thick foamy off-white head that sticks around, and a highly significant amount of yeast in the snifter I used. This is not a beer for those who don't like a bit of yeast in the glass. 4.5/5

Smell: Heavily malted, strong sweet tart notes due to the yeast. Extremely complex, notes of raspberries, grapefruit, a medley of other fruits. A touch of cherries, some bananas.... Highly complex, becomes more aromatic as it warms, the tartness becomes more prominent. Amazing. 5.0/5

Taste: First impressions are very yeasty. Strong notes of bananas in the aftertaste, like a really nice banana bread. Tartness due to the Belgian yeast strain, a touch of astringency from the alcohol. Very sweet, almost jammy, but swishing around the mouth also leaves a bit of harsh bitterness on the back of the tongue. As the beer warms, it becomes just a bit too astringent, but overall this is a very complex and enjoyable beer. It hurts me not to give it a 5, but it's not quite as perfect as I'd like it to be. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Moderate-to-heavy carbonation, very thick, somewhat chewy due to the yeast. Leaves a heavy Belgian coating across the palate. 4.0/5

Drinkability: This is a very very good beer, hard to find these days, but worth seeking out. I had another of this brewery's beers for Thanksgiving a couple of years back, and this beer would pair perfectly with that kind of hearty meal. 5.0/5

Overall: 4.6/5

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