Grande Réserve Oak Aged
Bières de Chimay

Grande Réserve Oak AgedGrande Réserve Oak Aged
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From:
Bières de Chimay
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Ranked #5
ABV:
10.5%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,481
Avg:
4.32 | pDev: 7.18%
Reviews:
38
Ratings:
94
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 30, 2024
Added:
Dec 04, 2015
Wants:
  23
Gots:
  26
Aged in wooden casks

2019: 40% French Oak, 60% American Oak
2015: 64% French Oak, 36% American Oak
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Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by pkalix:
Photo of pkalix
Reviewed by pkalix from California

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
ryan nailed this in his review in April '19.... sorry to plagiarize but his 'smell' is exactly my 'taste'!

Stewed prunes and tart currants. Fruit cake, coffee cake, molasses, brown bread, bakers chocolate, slight hint of Concord grape, allspice and other vague baking spices, whiff of clove, and a soft backing off dusty oak.

i think i prefer the original more, and this definitely isnt worth the price i paid for this, but it's an interesting 'experiment' in a brew so many would have expected this from.
Jan 18, 2020
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.63 by Supper1

Jan 30, 2024
Photo of MadMadMike
Reviewed by MadMadMike from France

4.21/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2018 corked 12.5 oz bottle, poured into a taster’s snifter. Tea brown, zero foam.
Swell aroma after sitting for five years in this jug. Pure oak, a tad of funk and must.
Taste is wine-y in a good way. The oak barreling dominates over prune juice.
Feel is flat, slightly oily, prickly little bit of carbonation.
Overall - this.,. elixir .,. probably sat a year too long, but it’s still a gem.
Nov 01, 2023
 
Rated: 4.78 by kybeerdrinker from Kentucky

Jul 15, 2023
Photo of NeilSilber1
Reviewed by NeilSilber1 from California

4.57/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Pours dark coffee brown with huge frothy billowing head that sticks to sides as it warms. Beautiful Belgium style brew from corked tall 1 pint 9.41 oz bottle. Oak barrel Belgium style with notes of chocolate, fruit and spice. This Belgium Trappist style has a slight tart forwardness and silky malty backing. Great craft!
May 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by FarmerF from Netherlands

Apr 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.41 by DownyIsHungry from Minnesota

Apr 03, 2023
 
Rated: 4.66 by Beecham from California

Mar 29, 2023
Photo of EmperorBevis
Reviewed by EmperorBevis from England

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Big 750ml bomber purchased at Beermoth in Manchester City and then shared at the new Temperance street brewery tap
Pours a dark dark brown body with good off white head, aroma is molasses. Flavour is woody boozy rummy solid drink.
Jan 14, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by RamonaBeer from California

Jan 03, 2023
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
375ml bottle into a Chimay glass. 2018 vintage, blending of Chimay Blue aged in American Oak, French oak, and whiskey barrels.

Decent look. Reddish brown body, no head.

Nice aroma, getting mild whiskey along with dark fruit and some oak notes.

On tasting, this is beautifully put together. Smooth, light whiskey flavor. The oak tastes are suitably subtle. Some dark fruit wafts in and out. Abv seems less than advertised.

Mouth full, finish a short lasting whiskey with a warming smoothness.

Overall, very good beer. Intrigued to try out other vintages.
Dec 14, 2022
 
Rated: 5 by WynnO from Florida

Sep 15, 2022
Photo of te99912_123
Reviewed by te99912_123 from Switzerland

4.97/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
08/19 batch:

Dark brown, with reds => mahogany. little foam, low retention.
woody, port-like aroma.
cherry, vanilla, chocolate, raisins.
smooth, sweet, well-rounded, almost no bitterness.
aftertaste similar to red wine.
Unsurprisingly A lot better than chimay blue.
Aug 12, 2022
Photo of Greywulfken
Reviewed by Greywulfken from New York

4.41/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Nice... I'm not a huge Chimay Blue drinker, but respect and appreciate the base beer as style-defining/style-classic strong Belgian dark ale... So this is that aged in oak barrels - there are/have been whiskey and rum versions, but this version is plain oak barrels... Great stuff - absolutely elevates the beer, adding toasty notes and drying elements to the base dark fruit and spice impressions... Medium-bodied, mild bitterness, moderate sweetness, subtle carbonation... Now, brace yourselves - this 12.5 oz. bottle cost $20.99 at Total Wine - whoa, right? - so the beer is great for the style and a definite win *but* that price is a big ask, and the reason this may be a one-time buy - though I'd pick it over the standard Chimay Blue every time...
Apr 02, 2022
 
Rated: 3.8 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 22, 2022
 
Rated: 4.21 by smithj4 from New York

Jan 30, 2022
 
Rated: 4.23 by TheHammer from Canada (ON)

Dec 27, 2021
Photo of puck1225
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas

4.41/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This is a great beer to close out the Christmas weekend.

Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Reddish brown color with with thin beige head and thin lacing. Pleasant smell and taste of dark sweet fruit. Dates, dark raisins, prunes. Warm spice, all spice. Sweet chocolate covered cherries. Smooth rich taste and feel. Nice beer to have on special occasion!
Dec 27, 2021
Photo of mwilbur
Reviewed by mwilbur from Minnesota

4.06/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2020 vintage
Poured from 750 mL bottle into snifter.
A: Pours a dark ruby hue with 2+ inch bubbly light tan head with decent retention.
S: Dark cherry and dark dried fruit (soaked in booze) with warming spices (cinnamon and nutmeg), almond, vanilla, and a soft fresh wood note. Lovely and layered!
T: Dark cherry, cola, brown sugar, warming spice with soft wood, almond, and vanilla. Herbal mint and dark dried fruit. With warming, a vinous note emerges.
M: Medium body. Drinks surprisingly fresh and vibrant. Layers of malt sweetness. Some nice oak barrel elements with dry tannins. Lingers nicely on the palate.
D: A lovely brew to be sure. The fresh and vibrant quality was a pleasant surprise and not typically found in barrel aged beers. Definite a brew that would go well with a holiday dinner.
Nov 11, 2021
Photo of Bitterbill
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming

3.95/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
2019.

Pours a dark brown with a long lasting head of foam. Good lacing.

Tons of dark pitted fruits in the smell. Vanilla and wood from the barrel.

The wood and barrel add some interesting aspects to this grande reserve that is lacking in the regular. Dark pitted fruits, Vanilla, booze...taste is to my liking.

The body feels on the thin side for a robust beer like this.

Very nice overall but at +$40 a bottle, one and done.
Nov 04, 2021
Grande Réserve Oak Aged from Bières de Chimay
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 94 ratings