V-Grand Cru
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown

V-Grand CruV-Grand Cru
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From:
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
9%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.1 | pDev: 10.98%
Reviews:
75
Ratings:
81
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 03, 2016
Added:
Jun 16, 2003
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jfcaa193:
Photo of jfcaa193
Rated by jfcaa193 from Canada (QC)

3.5/5  rDev -14.6%

Jan 30, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of stakem
Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania

3.79/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
750ml corked and caged almost 13 year old brew poured into a snifter. The brew appears a hazy dark golden copper color with light khaki head that fades leaving a webbing of lace.

Aroma is spicy with yeastiness like clove, pear, apple and some cork. Increasingly earthy smelling with each whiff.

Taste has everything you would expect of a belgian brew. Spicy yeastiness like clove, cracked black pepper, pears, apples and slight bubblegum note. Oxidation like cork in the finish with a slight herbal bitterness.

Full bodied and modestly carbonated. It is pretty much on par for what you would think a 13 year old belgian tastes like.
Feb 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4.5 by WOLFGANG from South Carolina

Jul 08, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by smithj4 from New York

Aug 05, 2012
 
Rated: 2.5 by jophish17 from Georgia

Dec 24, 2011
 
Rated: 5 by rab53 from Washington

Dec 10, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by djrn2 from New Jersey

Nov 26, 2011
Photo of beerthulhu
Reviewed by beerthulhu from New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Poured a dark amber with a slight head that faded rather quickly.

S: some mildy spicy and fruity notes from yeast, (pears) and pepper along with a warm malting and light muskiness.

T: For flavor there was some dry oranges, coriander and creamy banana notes. Also there were some slight underlying tropical fruitiness (pineapples) as well some tangy apricots that finished dry and tart.

M: medium bodied with adequate carbonation to bring out the spicy nature of the beer along with some alcohol warming.

D: Drinkability was nice, well balanced considering abv. and fairly well hidden though wouldn't recommend more then 2 at a time.
Apr 16, 2008
Photo of Pencible
Reviewed by Pencible from Virginia

3.93/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This poured a hazy orange with decent head, and had a strong scent of apricots and oranges. The texture was fairly watery, with a predominantly sweet citrus flavor. There was some malt and spices in the flavor as well, with a bit of hops in the aftertaste. It was fairly warming to drink, but it didn't have a strong alcohol flavor. It was easy to sip, but the sweetness built so quickly that it would be difficult to drink much of it.
Mar 31, 2008
Photo of younger35
Reviewed by younger35 from Minnesota

3.04/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Bottled on 05/15/03

Received this brew from BeerBeing after winning it from the Secret Santa Sweepstakes thingy. Drank from my Widmer Hefeweizen mini weizen glass.

Appearance- Pours a light yellowish orange with a big one finger off white head that has chunks of yeast on it. The head recedes fairly quickly leaving almost zero cap and a super thin collar that doesn't leave any lacing.
Smell- Very caustic and sharp with loads of granny smith apples and raw yeast. The yeast is fairly musty dirty... And that's about it.
Taste- Starts with a deceivingly fruity kick that makes this brew seem like it should be quite a bit darker than it is. Light prunes and raisins are the bulk of the taste from the start. Lightly spicy with a pepper kick and a bit of yeast and maybe even some ginger or coriander. There is also a lightly sweet green apple sourness in the back of the mouth that is somewhat cloying. The alcohol is hidden really well but five years will probably do that to any brew.
Mouthfeel- Body is somewhere between medium and heavy with lots of sharp carbonation.
Drinkability- I'm really glad that my roommate is here sharing it with me because there is no way I'd be able to finish this off myself. Judging by the older reviews this beer probably peeked about a year to two years ago. It's just seemed to have lost something, what, I don't know. Big thanks for BeerBeing for the opportunity!
Feb 06, 2008
Photo of mynie
Reviewed by mynie from Maryland

4.21/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
(From notes, forgive the terseness)
Cork sez 2004

Pours a dark gold amber honey. Looks like malt extract syrup, actually, wiht a wonderful white head and great lacing.

Smells maybe a bit too aged. Acidic, huge fruit, big alcohol. No real yeast or hop presence. Still, nice.

Tastes great, much better than it smells. The fruit nodes are huge. MegaHUGE actually and wonderfully overripe. Plums, raisins, spice, and big burny yeast.

Aged really well.
May 28, 2007
Photo of RBorsato
Reviewed by RBorsato from Virginia

2.58/5  rDev -37.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Murky dark orange color with a low light beige ringed head and nice active carbonation up the middle but leaves no lace. Overly sweet malt and fruit aromas ... orange and orange peel stand out. Similar flavors ... almost cloyingly sweet with a touch of alcohol and spice (yeasty phenols). Medium bodied with a sweet alcohol laden finish.

Wouldn't bother again ... an avoid for me, much like the V-12. I would have expected a Grand Cru to hold up much better (if it was better at one time).

Bottled: 05/15/03
Tasted: 11/24/06

($8.99 / 25.4 oz / 750 ml tall brown wine-like bottle, corked, and caged)
Dec 26, 2006
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Despite being three years old, the beer displayed a fluffy ecru head that quickly disappeared, but held its own as a ringlet and placed some lace around the glass; the color was hazy apricot - lighter than I would have expected from a Strong Dark

Smell: Fruit cake with caramel frosting and Belgian yeast

Taste: Start with a spicy fruit cake flavor profile that becomes dominated by the apricot, cherry and apple flavors mid-palate; after the swallow, an earthy, somewhat oxidized hop flavor presents and brings the sweet flavors to a complex finish

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: One fine beer to sip and savor; too bad we may not see it again
Nov 12, 2006
Photo of ChainGangGuy
Reviewed by ChainGangGuy from Georgia

4.07/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
(2003 Vintage)

Appearance: Pours an amber color with a grand billowing ivory head.

Smell: Very fragrant and sweet-smelling of apricots, candy sugar, and dark fruits.

Taste: Begins with the sweetness of caramel and candied fruits (notably tangerines and apricots). Evens out with biscuity, toasted malts and a woody hop flavor. Very dry, spicy finish. Distinctly, this beer isn't entirely dominated by yeast or spices as some Belgian beers are.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body, with a high, surging level of carbonation.

Drinkability: Fairly likable Belgian-style ale.
Jul 05, 2006
Photo of Metalmonk
Reviewed by Metalmonk from North Carolina

4.37/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Bottled May 15, 2003.

Opening this was a drama. Cork would NOT budge, as if it were glued in. I took a corkscrew to it, and after eventually getting it to pop, the thing gushed. I finally poured--slowly--into a Moinette goblet and things settled. Some lace appeared, but it wasn't abundant.

Love the color here, dark blood orange copper sunburst with plenty of carbonation, but oddly the head was minimal all the while.

Fruit aromas and flavors are featured, one set of sense characteristics inseparable from the other: peach, orange, mellow lemon and lots of dark fruit elements in both nose and mouth. Aroma also mirrors flavor in the peppery spice notes, with a wild yeast playfulness in the background. A hoppy, even sour bitterness prevails in the finish.

Holds extremely well in the mouth, creamy and sizzling at the same time, with the smoothness winning out.

It's a bit exotic, but I like. Found 7 bottles at a local store in May 2006 and will trade a few of them and savor the rest. Another Victory victory.
May 31, 2006
Photo of Sephiroth
Reviewed by Sephiroth from Indiana

4.18/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to Beerbeing for the bottle. Bottled on 5-15-03. Pours with an inch of head, initial lacing, body is orange. Aroma is spicy, maybe just a hint of pepper, some coriander, other smells I cannot name.

Taste is rich, malty, and well spiced. Coriander and something kinda spicy, I am at a loss to describe it further. Mouthfeel is full and coating. Highly drinkable.
May 04, 2006
Photo of scruffwhor
Reviewed by scruffwhor from Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottled on May 15, 2003. Label says best enjoyed within five years of bottling date.

Appearance- Poured a spritzy one and a half finger head with great retention, also left great foam film along the inside of my Hennepin tulip glass. Looked like a cloudy caramel, and burnt orange mix. The brussel's lace was only visible at the top of the brew while using my hand to cover the light from penetrating it. But the lace was consistant throughout the entire beer experience. Just awesome.

Smell- Fresh from the fidge to the glass gave earthy hints of granny smith apples, sugar, anise, and cadied malt. Once the second pour was unleashed from my 750ml bottle, the brew had warmed a little. This yielded a more candied apple aroma. A very nice aroma to behold chilled or 50 degrees.

Taste- Straight chilled was a more Jonathan apple flavor with an earthy malt character. Hardly any hop definition was noticed, but a little bitterness was detected regardless. Once the brew warmed up a little, a more carmalized character was released on to the senses.

Mouthfeel- Left a light fruit definition on the palate witrh a lettle dirt to remind you of this brews "grass roots."

This beer was excellent. I thought it was aged to perfection and the look, smell, and tase was just awesome. As long as Binny's or Sam's hasn't sold out of them by me, I will buy a bunch of these and I recommend you do the same.
Jan 25, 2006
Photo of goodbyeohio
Reviewed by goodbyeohio from Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
2003 vintage sampled 8/05.. 750 corked/caged

rich dark golden orange color with a thin layer of bubbly foam. thin sticky lacing. smells sweet and pungent like a lemon drop. underlying candi sugar aromas clash with a vinous odor of age. intriguing.

taste continues to expand on fruitiness with big fig and plum notes, some apricot.. unexpected for such a light strong pale. hints of bready pumpkin and a sweet, appley ester and alcohol undercurrent. light mouthfeel and still somewhat crisp and bubbly. slight hop tinge and ETOH burn come through in the finish and continue to push this beer into a pseudo-wine arena. aging beautifully IMHO and ive got one more under wraps for.. say.. 2007!
Aug 09, 2005
Photo of ommegangpbr
Reviewed by ommegangpbr from New York

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
I like this.
Bottled May 15, 2003. I heart the Victory Brewing Company for how they date their bottles.
Looks... different.. from the norm of the style in my experience. Has a deep orange color as opposed to a deep brown. Looks more like an IPA than anything else.
Tastes a teensy bit different from your typical strong dark ale but I like the differences.
Similar flavor profile on the whole (as per style), but with accents on flavors other than dark fruits. I got more apricot than cherry out of this one, though cherry can be found. The smell speaks of this difference as well, though I'd expect a stronger dark fruit presence from the flavor judging by the smell.
The mouthfeel on this one is really, really pleasureable. There's a tangy, lingering, well, tang. It makes me want to have more. The carbonation is just right. There's also a softness to the mouthfeel as it warms.
The alcohol plays its roll just right in here.
Magic Hat #9 on steriods and belgian yeast, maybe?
Thus far, my favorite offering from the Victory Brewing Co.
and that speaks volumes of praise.
Jun 26, 2005
Photo of horndecker
Reviewed by horndecker from New Jersey

4.02/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Wow. Deep dark apricot, coppery murk. Tan head, fine and frothy. bit of sticky, lasts a bit. Looking forward to that first whiff, which is

A sharp tangerine tang, orange zest. Actually it's the smell of peeling an orange, that bitter thing you get from the inside of the rind...along with the occasional hint of lime. Behind all this orangeness lies a dark apricot and prune aroma. Not much in the way of hops and malt at first.

The taste starts with a bitter wash of stewed fruit, pepper, toasted malt, all once again overwhelmed by the fruit. A significant sweetness, but equal parts of herbal bitterness. Pretty decent balance and a lot of interesting things going on, but lacking a bit in the funk factor. That difficult to define earthiness/yeastiness which I love.

Very nice body, with a decent amount of residual carbonation. The alcohol prescence is well masked, but makes the solo consumption of a 750ml something of a commitment. (hic.)
May 28, 2005
V-Grand Cru from Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 81 ratings