-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Bleue (Blue)
Bières de Chimay
- From:
- Bières de Chimay
- Belgium
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Ranked #4 - ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 95
Ranked #1,251 - Avg:
- 4.3 | pDev: 10.23%
- Reviews:
- 2,529
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 14, 2024
- Added:
- Oct 22, 2001
- Wants:
- 594
- Gots:
- 2,195
Known as Grande Réserve in 0.75l bottles.
The Chimay Blue is a dark ale with a powerful aroma. Its complex flavor improves with passing time.
The Chimay Blue is a dark ale with a powerful aroma. Its complex flavor improves with passing time.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by zeledonia:
Reviewed by zeledonia from Washington
4.19/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4
4.19/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4
Finally trying this Trappist classic. I tend to overlook the European beers for less expensive domestic ones, but it's about time I made my way through some more tasty Belgians. Tasted 1 March 2013, reviewed from notes.
Pours a deep murky brown, but with an amber shade. Clear coming out of the bottle, but dark enough that it's tough to see through. One finger of light yellowish tan head, very foamy and fizzy like carbonation from soda. Slowly relaxes to a thin but complete cap.
Smell is crisp, which is one of the things I really like in the better dark Belgian ales. Despite being sugar-heavy beers, they manage to have this delicate lightness in the smell, softly backed up by those malty aromas. A bit of tobacco, herbal and mildly bitter.
Taste is dark, sweet, and fruity. Figs, brown sugar, but with that unmistakable Belgian yeast twang. I'm liking this a lot. Not quite on the level of some of the best quads and BSDAs, but really close.
Mouthfeel is, well, overcarbonated. Medium-heavy body, a little chewy, and sticky. But it fizzes up much more than I want to, blocking the flavors from me, so that I'm tasting foam instead of beer. Otherwise pleasant, but that carbonation definitely interferes with my enjoyment of the beer.
This beer is really really tasty. The one thing that brought it down for me was the mouthfeel, which I found overly fizzy for a beer like this. But the rest of it is so good that it carries my overall enjoyment well up. I also found it better at relatively cool temperatures (~50 degrees F) than after it had warmed up a bit more.
Mar 10, 2013Pours a deep murky brown, but with an amber shade. Clear coming out of the bottle, but dark enough that it's tough to see through. One finger of light yellowish tan head, very foamy and fizzy like carbonation from soda. Slowly relaxes to a thin but complete cap.
Smell is crisp, which is one of the things I really like in the better dark Belgian ales. Despite being sugar-heavy beers, they manage to have this delicate lightness in the smell, softly backed up by those malty aromas. A bit of tobacco, herbal and mildly bitter.
Taste is dark, sweet, and fruity. Figs, brown sugar, but with that unmistakable Belgian yeast twang. I'm liking this a lot. Not quite on the level of some of the best quads and BSDAs, but really close.
Mouthfeel is, well, overcarbonated. Medium-heavy body, a little chewy, and sticky. But it fizzes up much more than I want to, blocking the flavors from me, so that I'm tasting foam instead of beer. Otherwise pleasant, but that carbonation definitely interferes with my enjoyment of the beer.
This beer is really really tasty. The one thing that brought it down for me was the mouthfeel, which I found overly fizzy for a beer like this. But the rest of it is so good that it carries my overall enjoyment well up. I also found it better at relatively cool temperatures (~50 degrees F) than after it had warmed up a bit more.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by BJB13 from Maryland
4.3/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
330 ml bottle poured into a Tulip.
Dark brown and clear, lively pour with a 3 finger off-white head. Lots of lace. Large malty nose, chocolate malt, raisin and prune. Taste is malty but well attenuated, dark fruit, dark sugars, mild alcohol and woody hops showing at the finish. Smooth body, easy drinking, nice ale.
Jan 16, 2024Dark brown and clear, lively pour with a 3 finger off-white head. Lots of lace. Large malty nose, chocolate malt, raisin and prune. Taste is malty but well attenuated, dark fruit, dark sugars, mild alcohol and woody hops showing at the finish. Smooth body, easy drinking, nice ale.
Reviewed by Lanoke12 from Michigan
4.65/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.65/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Look is beautiful dark brown. Smell is of candy and dark malt. Taste is smooth and rich. Feel is full bodied and rich. Overall, one of the best Belgian beers and a favorite. I was surprised to find it at Costco, but will be on the lookout in the future.
Dec 23, 2023Reviewed by Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania
4.44/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.44/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
12/23/2023, finishing up special birthday beers before Christmas!
Dark brown in the glass with a nice tan head and lots of sediment floaties.
Malty, brown bread, fig and earthy on the nose.
Deep flavors of brandied dried fruits and clove. Brown bread, prune, and slight anise. Draws the mouth like the tannins of tea. Finishes with a hint of Christmas orange pierced with cloves.
Dec 23, 2023Dark brown in the glass with a nice tan head and lots of sediment floaties.
Malty, brown bread, fig and earthy on the nose.
Deep flavors of brandied dried fruits and clove. Brown bread, prune, and slight anise. Draws the mouth like the tannins of tea. Finishes with a hint of Christmas orange pierced with cloves.
Reviewed by ATL6245 from Georgia
5/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Appearance: Deep dark brown, mousse-like head with excellent retention.
Aroma: Dark fruit, herbal, earthy, figs and pruns
Flavor: Malty with dark fruit, chocolate, pepper, and licorice.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied.
Overall: A robust, luxurious Trappistes Dark Ale. Complex malt base. Dark fruits, hints of chocolate, pepper, and licorice. Alcohol is superbly hidden. So much going on with it, you have to really savor it and enjoy it. The beauty of this beer is you can drink it fresh or beyond 12 months. No surprise, world class.
Dec 01, 2023Aroma: Dark fruit, herbal, earthy, figs and pruns
Flavor: Malty with dark fruit, chocolate, pepper, and licorice.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied.
Overall: A robust, luxurious Trappistes Dark Ale. Complex malt base. Dark fruits, hints of chocolate, pepper, and licorice. Alcohol is superbly hidden. So much going on with it, you have to really savor it and enjoy it. The beauty of this beer is you can drink it fresh or beyond 12 months. No surprise, world class.
Bleue (Blue) from Bières de Chimay
Beer rating:
95 out of
100 with
8371 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!