Grottenbier
Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

L- Pours with a very generous pale beige head, very slowly receding. Deep caramel brown with some residual bubbles. Slowly recedes leaving coating.
S- Orange peel, hot winter pudding-like malts.
T- Malts, rich and toasty. Slight fruity bitterness. Rich but lifted by fruity nose.
F- Lovely, rounded. No over-gaseousness.
O- A really lovely beer. Pretty full-on flavour-wise

330 ml bottle, into St. Bernardus goblet.

dark brown in color, thick cream colored head. aroma is malty, a touch of spice, earthy, woody. similar flavor, not too sweet, drier finish. medium bodied, smooth feel

I don't know why some of the review around here mentioned sourness. I get none. It's a classic belgian dark ale. I get some dark fruits and some red berries but definitely not an oud bruin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A: Sappy crimson in color, a big foamy head with lots of rising carbonation within the veil of the deep red. beautifully smooth lacing
S: In the Flemish red family, cherry, sweet and sour, cut with fertilizer
T: The scent is only 25% reflected in the flavor, the sour elements moving far into the background and just a bit of fertilizer. It does taste more like a Belgian Brune. The flavors pull in several directions but don't seem to go anywhere, like a kitchen sink sort of recipe. An odd, planty flavor.
M; very low carbonation
O: In certain ways appealing, and another repulsive. An odd one.

 

From:

An interesting blend between what seems to be a Belgian dark amber and a Brettanomyces-flecked, young Flemish red, St. Bernardus' resurrection of Pierre Celis' Grottenbier recipe is an interesting mix of typical Belgian phenols and Special B malt flavors with hints of cellar-like complexity and sourness. This was pleasant fresh, and could be more interesting when aged, which might allow the obviously young "wild" character to develop further.

Pours a 2.5cm tall head of beige to light tan-colored bubbles, small to medium in size, giving a . Retention is excellent, the head never really fading, forcing the drinker to take a sip, the lipids and chemicals in which reduce the head to a 0.2cm cap resting atop the body of the beer for the duration of the session. Lacing is also excellent, with thick webs and arrays of dots clinging to the sides of the glass. Beer is a very dark amber color, with light bringing out slightly brighter amber hues. Carbonation visible streaming along the sides of the glass, substantial in number and fairly active.

Aroma is slightly mild, light Brettanomyces "funk" and cellar mustiness, caramel malt sweetness, slight raspberry and cherry. Subtle, but pleasant, and complex enough to be interesting over the course of a 750ml bottle.

Overall flavor palette is richly malty, with dark caramel and light roast characters with a hint of Brettanomyces complexity, cellar-like mustiness, and vague fruity tartness. Opens on front of palate with lightly roasted and dark caramel malt characters and some sweetness, bread, anise, and slightly spicy phenols. Mid-palate of caramel malt characters, hints of lightly roasted malt, anise, ripe plums, slightly spicy phenols, faint tart raspberries and cherries, light Brettanomyces, extra mild tartness. Back of palate finds slightly stronger tartness, anise, spicy phenols, cellar mustiness, and a bit of mushroom. Aftertaste of lightly roasted malt and dark caramel malt characters, bread, with hints of residual light tartness and anise.

Beer is medium in body, with high levels of carbonation, leading to a fizzy, then softly foamy mouthfeel. Closes dry, with little stickiness remaining on the palate and lips.