Bottleworks Van Den Vern Grand Cru
De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)

Bottleworks Van Den Vern Grand CruBottleworks Van Den Vern Grand Cru
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From:
De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Pale Strong Ale
ABV:
9.8%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.76 | pDev: 13.03%
Reviews:
40
Ratings:
43
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 12, 2014
Added:
Feb 09, 2003
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
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Ratings by craftbrewer:
Photo of craftbrewer
Reviewed by craftbrewer from Tennessee

3.74/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Effervescent, huge pillowy head on pour. Beautiful dark ruby, falls to a tight lacy head that covers the entire suface. Sweet malty smell, lots of melanoidins. Subtle phenolics in the aroma and flavor. Full curvy bodied with long malty legs. A spicy little belgian number that leaves you with a sweet lingering flavor and alcoholic warmth.

Once she warms up and blows off some steam, things get wildy complex and fruity.

People who said this is thin bodied must have a different recipe batch. This thing has more mouthfeel than a milkshake.
Jun 24, 2004
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by warnerry from Michigan

May 12, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by t0rin0 from California

Nov 16, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by bsuedekum from Missouri

Jun 15, 2012
Photo of ElGordo
Reviewed by ElGordo from Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Found a bottle last summer at Bottleworks in Seattle (surprise, surprise). Poured from the 330ml bottle into a tulip glass. Pours a bright amber color topped by one finger of thick, creamy, off-white head. Aroma of sweet dark fruit, a touch of candi sugar, and some musty, funky yeast lingering in the background. Palate is sweet up front - prune and dark cherry, along with some candi sugar and pale malt. A sourness akin to fruit vinegar comes through before the swallow, leading to a nice, dry finish.
Body is rich and a bit creamy until the swallow, after which it dries out nicely, leaving a lasting residual sourness. While not particularly sweet or sour, but a very tasty beer nonetheless.
Mar 29, 2010
Photo of Deuane
Reviewed by Deuane from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A nice find by FooFaa at Vintage Wine, Boardman, OH..he found the last bottle. Thanks for sharing!

Bottled 2004

A-Hazy, reddish-brown tinged copper with a thin light tan head that retained well and left decent lace.

S-Initial smack of prunes and brown sugar. With a bit of warming subtle notes of toffee, sour cherries and candi sugar comes out.

T-Luscious dark fruit with prune being dominate. A bit of yeast spiciness and a nice underlying light sour/tartness of cherry. This is in no way a mouth puckering brew, but more lightly tart.

M-Medium bodied, tart with a bit of smoothing, sugary sweetness. Goes down easy.

D-Too bad this was only a 12 oz bottle.This one became more and more interesting as it warmed. A really nice, lightly tart and flavourful offering. I would love to revisit this one but doubt I ever will.
Aug 27, 2009
Photo of NorCalYeti
Reviewed by NorCalYeti from California

3.62/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
taste- bitter tart, hints of apple and spice

color- dirty copper

clarity- cloudy

smell- estery

body- light-medium

appearance- off-white frothy head

overall impression- enjoyable

notes and comments- dry oil, light spice, light tang, light caramel-flavored finish
Aug 22, 2009
Photo of noeldundas
Reviewed by noeldundas from Canada (BC)

2.63/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
light head, soft, beautiful reddish copper brown. great malty aroma, hits with raisin bake bread an sugar. slight alcohol, but hardly noticeable. some espresso, raisin again, and many malty cereal flavours.
It does not have the body or substance to make it drinkable. Perhaps too much carbonation? not what I was expecting. The flavour really drops off quickly and there is little in the finish other than malt.

after the nose, disappointing. It didn't go where I thought.

perhaps it was over aged. 5 years is a long time.
Aug 21, 2009
Photo of FtownThrowDown
Reviewed by FtownThrowDown from Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a reddish brown in color with just the slightest of foam on top.
Smell is dark fruits, mostly plums and some sweetness. Taste is even more fruit than is in the nose. Pretty carbonated and bubbly on the mouthfeel. Just a subtle amount of sourness. Very enjoyable and good flavored. Needs less carbonation for my liking. It's solid overall and I would drink it again.
Feb 21, 2009
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottle labeled bottled in 2004.

Poured a medium to darker brownish color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of dark cherries, brown sugary, caramel, and light alcohol. Tastes of cherries, caramel, and other dark fruits. On the sweeter and a little syrupy.

Notes from: 2/3/06
Dec 17, 2008
Photo of OWSLEY069
Reviewed by OWSLEY069 from Pennsylvania

3.82/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a ruddy brown/ amber/ orange-ish color, with a tan head. In the aroma, roasty caramel, licorice, and a small tartness. In the taste, caramel, licorice, white grape dry to sweet, and just a small note of alcohol. A small bite and medium to big mouthfeel, with a dry licorice aftertaste. Big licorice, and was expecting more sourness, a good sipper though.
Sep 03, 2008
Photo of TheEremite
Reviewed by TheEremite from California

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I remember this beer being much more sour, but it really highlights the malt and belgian yeast character. It tastes of plum, caramel and apricot. There's a very slight funk/sour prick in the way background, but it's subtle. It's a fairly complex beer without being overdone. It's a nice surprising choice, despite the horrendous label. Be careful of the sediment though.
May 10, 2008
Photo of yinzer
Reviewed by yinzer from Pennsylvania

4.02/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
33cl bottle, fresh

appearance: Amber color with soft off-white head

smell: seems like a Quad, fruity esters, spice with hints of cherry.

taste: complex with sweet malts ending with sour cherries and some alcohol but not overly hot.

mouthfeel: full bodied and nicely balanced

drinkability: one was nice, I'd say a must try. Will buy a few more. Slightly disappointing in the finish.

Overall nice beer.
Dec 31, 2007
Photo of Derek
Reviewed by Derek from Canada (BC)

4.13/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bottled 2004.

A: Hazy reddish-brown, light tan head, good retention, great lace.

S: Initial cheesy aroma subsides soon after openning, grape, dark fruit, brown sugar, minerals, cotton candy, toffee.

T: Dark fruit, brown sugar, phenolic spicyness, tropical fruit.

M: Moderate body & carbonation, smooth, some residual sugar.

D: Very drinkable, a few years in the bottle has been kind.
Sep 03, 2007
Photo of kirok1999
Reviewed by kirok1999 from Ohio

3.51/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Dark cloudy reddish brown. Slight head that diappears quickly. Smells first of cherries, malts, raisins.
Taste is mostly cherries, spice, raisins, caramel with a slight cotton candy note.
Moderate mouthfeel, well carbonated.
Nice brew, easy to drink.
Thanks to TheBungyo for the extra in a trade.
May 30, 2007
Photo of spdrz
Reviewed by spdrz from Washington

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Just finished a tulip of this Belgian ale. Happy to try it on draught at Brouwer's cafe here in Seattle.

Appearance:
Came to the table with about a half inch head that had already dissipated but stuck around and laced the glass up proper-like. Cloudy red-brown, clearly unfiltered, it evoked cherry caramels.

Smell:
Black-cherry candy, honey-malt, alcohol, and a tinge of toasty vanilla biscuits. also the phenol-fruity belgian yeast.

Taste: Kirsch, caramel, fruity yeast and biscuit malt. Slight vinous character though not front and center. Good balance some spice and dried fruit in the finish.

Mouthfeel:
Nice medium-full mouthfeel that does not cloy to the palate. No alcohol burn.

Drinkability:
No stand out component of this ale, but definitely high drinkability. Good balance and straightaway solid. Give me one or two, then I'll move on to something else. Probably just one though.

Overall:
No big detractors, but no superstar depth of character or shining quality. Good+ ale.
Apr 02, 2007
Photo of surlysober
Reviewed by surlysober from Wisconsin

3.08/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
FIRST TRIAL: Bottle from the Palm Tavern. Although it was hard to tell the exact color in the low light, the beer appeared to be a deep brown with a nice white head. It has an unusual aroma and flavor though. It almost reminded me of imitation grape flavoring (the kind that they make grape candy with that doesn’t taste anything like actual grapes). I mentioned this to a friend of mine who also tasted it and he agreed. The mouthfeel was fine, and the finish was slightly sour and maybe oaky. This beer was quite interesting, but it was a little tough getting over the fact that I tasted so much artificial-grape-like flavor, so I would be tentative to recommend it to others.
Mar 14, 2007
Photo of ojiikun
Reviewed by ojiikun from Washington

3.64/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Poured from a 750ml champagne bottle into a tulip chalice. Bottle marked as 2002 vintage. Clear signs of aging on it's side, good hard yeast residue on one side.

Virtually flat - appears as if I got a bottle that wasn't properly sugared? The last glass had a hint of head around the edge of the glass, but this one never tasted at all carbonated. This was possibly the primary reason I didn't rate higher on many accounts.

Color is a beautiful dark reddish-brown, properly opaque with suspended yeast as you'd expect from a craftbrewed belgian.

Smell is of rich red apple, sweet yeast, white wine grapes, mild honey when warm.

Taste switches to green apples thanks to a light but fruity hopping. Middle is of metallic minerals followed by slight caramel, warm leather, and a powdery finish.

Alcohol is clearly there, but in lesser quantity than the label claims. The flatness of this bottle took away from drinkability, exacerbated by the very dry character of the brew in general.

The best thing about this brew is that it's so Belgian in character - it smells like my favourite Belgian pub in every way.
Nov 11, 2006
Photo of pmcadamis
Reviewed by pmcadamis from Illinois

4.27/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Generic "Bottleworks" lable. Blah. They really need to kick the marketing up a notch....what's inside is far more important than the exterior but, when shopping in a beer store, cool lables and bottles catch my eye and make me go "ooohhhh....what the heck is that? Gotta buy it!"

Anyhow, once poured, this dark-gold / bronze brew is rootbeer brown with a big milkshake head that starts out as three fingers and recedes to a 1/2 finger creamy foam that leaves a nice lace on the side of the pint glass.

The nose is sweet, malty, and buttery. Very candy-like. No scent of hops...which I was expecting due to the "pale ale" style

At first sip, this is a very sweet caramel-candy desert brew. I taste powdered sugar, some syrupy confectionery candy, lots of vanilla, and some caramel. As the beer sits and warms the sugary syrup character really becomes apparent, and a certain amout of spice shows up. I could see myself having one of these for desert after a nice dinner with the woman.

Mouthfeel is bubbly and a bit syrupy, and the alcohol content makes it self known only at the finish. This warming sensation would be great in the winter time!

Drinkablilty (for me) is the lowest score only due to the candied sweetness that would inhibit me from drinking two in a row. Otherwise, this is exquisite.
Aug 22, 2006
Photo of GClarkage
Reviewed by GClarkage from California

3/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
07/10/06- Purchased at Hi Times Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, CA.

Presentation- 750ml bottle. Caged and corked. Bottled in 2002. Poured into my La Chouffe tulip.

Appearance- Murky auburn-brown in color. Foams up to about a 1/2 inch and then evaporates quickly. Tiny spots of lace if at all.

Smell- Paint thinner, turpentine alcohol scent overtakes most all. A bit vinous in the nose. A touch sweet as well. Maybe some plum and grape-like scents underneath.

Taste- Very raw. This has been bottles for almost 4 years? Raw harsh alcohol taste. Almost like ascetane (spelling). Says it's a Flemish Ale on the bottle. I can see some Oud Bruin traits underneath the garbage. A bit sour at times. Tart blackberry or olalaberry flavoring in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel- Medium carbonation level. The 10% or so is definitely there. Creeps up on you rather fast as well.

Drinkability- To harsh to like this one. Don't think it's going to get any better if it's already been 4 years. Pass on this one if you see it.
Jul 11, 2006
Bottleworks Van Den Vern Grand Cru from De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 43 ratings