Grand Cru
The Schlafly Tap Room

Grand CruGrand Cru
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From:
The Schlafly Tap Room
 
Missouri, United States
Style:
Belgian Pale Strong Ale
ABV:
9%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.89 | pDev: 10.8%
Reviews:
71
Ratings:
160
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 30, 2020
Added:
Sep 27, 2004
Wants:
  8
Gots:
  18
Our Grand Cru rewards like dry champagne with aromas of passion fruit and exotic spice. This rich, golden-colored ale is fermented with a distinct Belgian abbey ale strain, then bottle conditioned with extra sugar and yeast for at least two weeks. Bottle conditioning creates the effervescent mouth feel, as well as the distinct Belgian lace prized in Belgian beers. Enjoy the complexity imparted by technique and craft.

Cru is a French wine term which means “growth place” or “great growth”. Brewers in Europe, notably in Belgium, and America use the designation to refer to a beer that is created to showcase the brewer’s art and to represent their passion for their brewery.

17 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by obywan59:
Photo of obywan59
Reviewed by obywan59 from Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
750ml bottle poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance is coppery held against my white walls, but golden yellow against my review screen. A thick, smokey tower of bubbles arises from the center of the glass with numerous bubbles throughout the glass as well. Initially a 3 1/2 finger head, but it recedes rather quickly to a ring and layer of film over the beer.

The nose at first is of yeasty bread or over-ripe citrus that's beginning to ferment. Later, the nose becomes more earthy with the sprightliness of ginger ale. A hint of barnyard.

At first it seems overly sweet and cloying with some heavy barnyard funkiness, but as it warms, both the cloy and the barnyard mellow out, leaving a lighter taste of sweet, peppery citrus and alcohol.

Seeming very thick and cloying early, but thinner and more palatable as it warms. Peppery and fizzy like a soft drink. Very fizzy before it warms. Quite warming in the chest.

Much better as it warms. The last Schlafly of my local selection, and vying to be my favorite.
Mar 30, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.02 by BrewSTL from Missouri

Dec 30, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by brittanylicious from Indiana

Jan 06, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by heysuz from Indiana

Jan 06, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by yesterdayfaraway from Missouri

Nov 12, 2017
 
Rated: 3.83 by emerge077 from Illinois

Jun 23, 2017
Photo of Pundit_of_Potability
Reviewed by Pundit_of_Potability from Indiana

4.35/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
What a wonderful surprise! This strong Belgian style ale pours a murky brown with a nice head that dissipates quickly with very little lacing. The flavors here are bubbly and bursting... A nice yeasty breadness combines with a fruity apple and citrusy kiss. The malts are a little buried at first, and their is a tiny bit of bitterness and spice at the end. The nose of fruit, apples, yeast and spice are exactly what you get here. The malts are relegated to the background on this one but they still play a role in the back. The bubbly carbonation makes for a sizzling, dry finish. Very potable and enjoyable.
Dec 17, 2016
 
Rated: 4.5 by BrewskiBrandon from Missouri

Oct 13, 2016
Photo of Ctb6582
Reviewed by Ctb6582 from Maryland

4.38/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Back in May I found a bottle of this with 3 progressively lower price stickers on it. I pulled the trigger at $6.99. It wasn't until I got it home that I noticed the "Bottled with Love" sticker on the bottom...Dec 15, 2011. Yes, 12/15/11. Well, that explains the price. Threw it in the cellar until last night when I finally had a chance to share it with a buddy who could appreciate it. At $6.99, it's easy to have low expectations. However...

Poured into a snifter a beautiful deep amber with a 1/2" of foam. A few chunks came out in the pour, but that was my fault for turning it on it's side to chill it in the sink.

Took a moment to consider what was awaiting me from a 5 year old bottle. Vinegar? Sour skunk funk? Blindness? Sniff...ok, not vinegar. First sip...liquid luxury. Deep rich flavors...figs, honey (the essence, not the sweetness), leather(?).

Alcohol was there, but well hidden. The faint sweetness kept it in the background. It lingered in my mouth, but not overly so.

Schlafly, phenomenal job building a beer sturdy enough to last 4 1/2 years under who-knows-what sort of conditions. The last 6 months were in a cellar, but if they're damaged when they come home...

This isn't the first time I've had an older than typical Schlafly bottle. Back in April I had a Tripel dated 11/8/11 that had done very well over its 4 years. Got a Quad and barleywine nearly the same vintage and have high hopes for them too.
Oct 01, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by ckollias from Maryland

Oct 01, 2016
Photo of dacrza1
Reviewed by dacrza1 from New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
DATE: June 19, 2019... enjoying this in a Chimay goblet at halftime of the most important game I've witnessed in my thirty-nine years--Game Seven between Cleveland and Golden State (Cavs down seven)... pours a half-inch head, foamy and resilient... dense, dark amber body shows whirling spirals of effervescence... one whiff and WOW--sour apple! citric elements include grapefruit, lemon, and pleasant spices--prune too... strong phenol tinges the taste with alcohol... toasted bread malts make a lasting impression.... a solid, balanced finish, with the teeth whistle in a breeze of hops... leaves a spicy grapefruit and apple aftertaste... sneaky smooth and easy front to back... VERY sour, with a tart aroma that is slightly off-putting... this is a complex, challenging beer--not unlike this game, which plays a tug of war with my heart and mind--with the sour apple mingling with sugary, candied elements to produce a strong punch to the throat... recommended? on a dare, yes... as a kick-back-and-drink beer? not so much...a nice beer to ponder slowly...
Jun 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by StoutAtTheDevil from Alabama

May 10, 2016
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

3.78/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle: Poured a bright yellow color ale with a nice medium size foamy head with good retention and some light lacing. Aroma of residual sugar notes with some fruity and candy-like ester with some Belgian malt. Taste is also dominated by sugary notes with some candy-like ester with some Belgian malt notes. Body is full for style with medium carbonation and no alcohol note really apparent. Enjoyable but a bit sweeter then I would like.
Nov 23, 2015
Photo of stortore
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
750 ml bottle into a tulip glass. Gonna complain up front- when I threw out the bottle, I noticed a sticker on the bottom, saying it was bottled on 6/3/14. I bought it at the Schlafly taproom on 8/15/15. Anyhow....

Pours a golden color, fairly clear, with a two finger head, some soapy cling. Smell is of Belgian yeast, light malt, candi sugar, slight black pepper when warm. Kind of had a metallic aroma at first pour. Taste follows the nose with the yeast and malt, more candi sugar, a little bread, a hint of lemon. A little sweet for the style, but not cloying. Refreshing, fairly dry, smooth, well carbonated.

This is good, and certainly enjoyable to drink. Nothing stands out about it, though, and there's a lot of really good Belgian Strong Pale's out there. Worth a try.
Oct 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by LennyBound from Illinois

Sep 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Texasfan549 from Texas

Sep 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by kjkinsey from Texas

Sep 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4.03 by dannycohen62 from Illinois

Sep 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by atlbravsrno1 from Maine

Sep 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.99 by Sweffin from Wisconsin

Sep 03, 2015
Grand Cru from The Schlafly Tap Room
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 160 ratings