Cru D'or
North Coast Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours very hazy dark reddish brown color with a 1 finger fairly dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lace that lingers. Spotty wisps of foamy lacing cling on the glass. Aromas of raisin, prune, caramel, toffee, toast, chocolate, dark bread, earth, and light yeast spiciness. Nice aromas with good balance and decent strength. Taste of raisin, prune, toffee, caramel, toast, chocolate, earth, bread, and light yeast spiciness. Lingering notes of dark fruit, toffee, caramel, toast, chocolate, bread, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a bit. Very nice balance and complexity of flavors; nicely robust with zero cloying flavors on the finish. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied; with a creamy and slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very good Belgian dark ale. Nice complexity, balance, and robustness of flavors; and very smooth to sip on. A nicely enjoyable offering.

Huge thanks to match1112 for this treat. Not sure what the vintage is but he told me that the beer has a few years on it. Poured from 12oz bottle to Duvel over-sized tulip glass:

Pours a hazy caramel brown with a finger or two of tannish head that receeds to one side of the glass, no real collar but still a slight bit of lacing.

Big toffee and dates on the nose. Some mushy cherries and red grapes. Very smooth and no detectable oxidation or booze presence.

Those bright fruits have settled down quite a bit. Some figs, a very slight cardboard taste that lingers - just barely noticeable. Pretty dry finish.

It seems as though the beer has lost nearly all its carbonation. Just enough to produce a short-lived head.

Never thought I'd get the chance to try this beer - thanks very much Matt!

 

 

 

 

 

Another gift in a recent trade. I was sent two of these and decided to open one up to see what it was about. Poured into a white birch glass.

dark brown, opaque with a huge billowing tan head that literally fell over the sides of the glass. I did not think it would actually ever go down. It finally settled down but left a ton of lace down the glass for the rest of the session. First whiff of the aroma was very fruity, albeit dark. Hints of apricots and raisins, along with some plum and a touch of alcohol were all readily present. The distinctive aroma of Belgian yeast was ever so present as well. Very nice, floral aroma. First sip was delicous. Very full flavored and lively. Lots of fruity flavors, again figs, apricots, banana, and a nice mellow spiceness melded well with a touch of alcohol that was ever so gently mixed in. Very nice warming feeling upon putting down a few sips. Mouthfeel was superb. Very rich, creamy and thick, great carbonation.

Overall this beer was awesome and exactly what I needed after dinner. I nursed this for almost an hour before all was said and done.

We pour a dark brown hazy beer that maintains a nice reddish glow. It holds a one finger head of large tan bubbles, which sink rather quickly. The carbonation is lightly visible around the edges, and no sediment is noted. This beer's aroma is bold! It is marked by sugary sweet caramel notes, red licorice, hints of phenols, and a fine concoction of esters and yeast. The taste begins with bready malts. We then move forward to sweet fruits throughout the center, most notably, ripe apple and banana. There is also a rich, calming nuttiness to the flavor, which acts to curb the sip's sweetness. The aftertaste, while remaining well balanced, is borderline sour, and a bit earthy. Despite the sweetness, the beer is not syrupy, and remains medium bodied and lightly coating to the mouth. The carbonation, while present, is not a major player to the experience. Drinkability is medium, as some of the strong flavor highlights slow the sipping down.

Overall, what we found most enjoyable about it was its remarkable aroma (and an honorable mention for being organic). It is sweet and inviting, and you could nearly smell it from across the table! Everything it suggested was touched upon in the rest of the beer, but by the end of the glass it can become almost cloyingly sweet.