CHIMAY ROUGE ~ BIÈRES DE CHIMAY (ABBAUE NOTRE DAME DE SCOURMONT)

Chimay Red (aka Rouge, Première) is an unpasteurized Belgian dubbel that had been fermented and then refermented in the bottle. Sampled from a bottle the beer poured a cloudy red-brown with a large pillowy ivory head. Once it had died down it left some spidery lacing along the glass. The nose is comprised of malts, caramel, hints of chocolate, fruitcake, and spicy Belgian Yeast. Taste has the same flavour profile with dark fruit, caramel, molasses, a nuttiness and hints of chocolate at the end. The sweetness gives way to light hop bitterness at the finish. The beer is medium bodied with a pleasant creamy and smooth feel. The carbonation is refreshing but not aggressive. A delicious treat, thanks to the Monks.
7% from Chimay, Belgium

CHIMAY WHITE ~ BIÈRES DE CHIMAY (ABBAUE NOTRE DAME DE SCOURMONT)

I think of these small Belgian bottles as ‘treats’ not something I would want to drink every day, as they are very rich, and better in small doses. Chimay White (aka White cap, Blanche, Cinq Cents, etc.) is an unpasteurized Belgian tripel that has been fermented and then refermented in the bottle. Sampled from a bottle the beer poured, an opaque coppery orange. The beer had a thick frothy head which, when settled down left a white cap and good lacing. Some sediment was left in the bottle, as this beer is unfiltered. The beer is aromatic and much of what would be expected from a Belgian tripel: fruitiness (tree fruit like apples and apricots and grapes), yeast and bread, spice and alcohol. The flavour follows the profile of the nose: light fruits, sweet malts, citrus notes, Belgian yeasts and with a hint of hoppy bitterness at the end. Complex and masterfully balanced. The beer was fully bodied and crisp, with an almost soda like carbonation. This doesn’t feel like it is 8%, the ABV is well hidden. A once in a while treat!

8% from Chimay Belgium.

CHIMAY BLUE (aka GRANDE RESERVE) ~ CHIMAY

This dark Belgian treat was sampled from a small 330 mL bottle. Once brewed as Christmas Ale, this is the strongest beer that Chimay makes. At 9% this beer is easily cellared. The beer poured an opaque tawny brown colour, with a finger of cream coloured foam. The head lingered for a while before leaving a decent film and some specks of lacing. The aromas were a melange of chocolate, caramel, sweet malts, spice (clove and nutmeg), Belgian Yeast, dark fruits (plum, raisin, and sweet bread. There is tons of taste in this brew: dark fruit, yeasty and bready notes, caramel, big malts, Christmas spices, chocolate, subtle floral hops, and an earthiness. The booziness leaves a pleasant sense of warmth. The rich beer has a lovely complexity to its well-balanced flavours. The body was medium and the carbonation was soft and fine. This one was quite a little treat!
9% from Chimay, Belgium