Grand Cru Abbey Ale
New Belgium Brewing Company

Grand Cru Abbey AleGrand Cru Abbey Ale
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From:
New Belgium Brewing Company
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 11.03%
Reviews:
173
Ratings:
335
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 27, 2023
Added:
May 11, 2002
Wants:
  55
Gots:
  43
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bros:

  None found.

 
Rated: 3.88 by WynnO from Florida

Jan 27, 2023
More User Ratings:
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.99/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a chalice, the appearance was a murky semi-dark red to brown color displacing any sort of light allowed through it. Just a finger's worth of white foamy head sat atop and softly fell off to leave some mild messy sliding lace.
The aroma had some soft sweet dark fruits muddled by some Belgian sugars, light Belgian yeasty/breadiness, red apples, eventful allspice/Belgian spice blend, some floral sweetness, and a moderate long sweet earthiness coming about.
The flavor was a fine blend between sweet and bready - Belgian sweet to Belgian spicy pummeling the aftertaste just I expected it would, but there was some faint breadiness in the aftertaste - very little.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sipping quality about it. Carbonation felt fine rolling against my tongue nicely. ABV felt appropriate.
Overall, pretty nice as a Belgian Strong Dark Ale that I wouldn't mind coming back to.
Jun 29, 2017
 
Rated: 4.29 by n2pux from Texas

Jun 10, 2017
 
Rated: 4.23 by OriginalWayOut from North Carolina

Jan 15, 2017
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
2011 edition, absolutely delicious. have been wanting to get into one of these for a long time. the base abbey i think is by far the best of the all the time new belgium stuff, and its cool to see this bigger brother special edition of it. looks deep red in color, softly hazy, well carbonated but also delicate, great lacing and head retention, and a nose of amazing belgian yeast with white pepper and clove spice. its got a great malt base, specialty malts i assume, copper and sweet reds, belgian candy sugar too i would assume to spike the abv. the yeast and the grain work amazingly well together, it tastes a lot like the base beer, just more of it, bigger, concentrated, delicious. clove spice is more subtle in the flavor, but the yeast is vibrant, i get dried cherry and plum, as well as brown sugar in it, but its all real gentle and well integrated, obviously very mature at this point. this is really special beer overall, an amazing yeast strain and it ages extremely well. good enough to have come from the likes of la trappe or bernardus or something, very genuine old world belgian style with brilliant execution. this makes me yearn for the days all new belgium beer was this good! stoked to have finally gotten to have a glass of this, i have heard a lot of rave reviews, and it lives up to the hype. hopefully cross paths with this again sometime...
Mar 27, 2016
Photo of Kylemif
Reviewed by Kylemif from Oregon

4.52/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Opened a bottle of this last night that I had cellared. Bottled on 3/21/2011 and it was phenomenal. Was dinner-partying and a few buddies tried with me, enjoyed thoroughly by all.
Aug 26, 2015
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had on tap at the Bryant Lake Bowl L: Clear amber to chestnut, not much head. S: Light fruit and spice, some Belgian yeast. T: Yeast driven with a little caramel, hints of chocolate, light fruit. Moderately sweet. F: Medium body and slightly above average carbonation. O: A well made easy to drink Belgian Strong Dark Ale.
Jun 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by kingjohnh from New Mexico

Jun 21, 2015
 
Rated: 4.28 by Seattle_Suds from Washington

Jun 18, 2015
 
Rated: 3.46 by AndyEdgar from Illinois

Apr 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3.64 by Unclejesse33 from Virginia

Feb 07, 2015
Photo of jarheadduk
Rated by jarheadduk from North Carolina

5/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Working off old notes. Will update with more details if/when I have another.
Jan 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by Agentveba from North Carolina

Dec 14, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by a77cj7 from South Dakota

Nov 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Hellpop65 from Kansas

Nov 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by GRG1313 from California

Nov 05, 2014
 
Rated: 3.92 by LeeW from Minnesota

Oct 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by bluehende from Delaware

Sep 19, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by mikerieder from South Dakota

Sep 05, 2014
Grand Cru Abbey Ale from New Belgium Brewing Company
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 335 ratings