Grand Cru Aux Houblons Des Flandres
Brasserie Castelain
- From:
- Brasserie Castelain
- France
- Style:
- French Bière de Garde
- ABV:
- 8.5%
- Score:
- +2 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.48 | pDev: 8.33%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 4
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 02, 2024
- Added:
- Oct 20, 2016
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England
3.45/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.45/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Blind-tasted apart from name/brewery/ABV%. I'll finish my review here before reading the previous thoughts of others below. I find it more fun and informative this way.
L- Mid-amber. Despite care with chilling+handling It has some floaters in it. That suggests it might have been better to carefully decant the bottle in one go rather than two. 2mm white fine-bubble cap holding up well.
S- Quite mild for me, just a sense of malts perhaps being prominent.
T- Ooh... it's quite bold and man has that 8.5% made itself clearly visible from the very first sip! It has that... somewhat rich yet dry/sour note in the finish that can emulate very high ABV (say 12%+). Later as it warms a touch I start noticing the sour facet might resemble some sour-apple. The long/short is that this presents as one heck of a thumper for an 8.5%.
F- It is not shy to 'wear it's ABV% on it's sleeve'. Unusually though not uniquely it shouts higher% than it is.
O- An interesting one. Some people would dis-favour the very bold expression of ABV% as crude, unsophisticated etc. Up to you, but the prospect of a whole 750ml to myself is appealing rather less now.
As it warms a touch the flavour is broadening in its detail. The ABV%+'sour' is still there, it is the richness that is building. Glad I started it with a solid chill on it. --- I'll rate it now and look with interest at the labelling, and for any non-malt sugars here? We'll see, but never a good sign if present IME...
750ml caged/corked bottle. Very unusually I cannot find a BB etc anywhere on the packaging, I wonder why. Anyway, it's fresh from a major shop in France.
Bought from Carrefour 'mega' in Belley, France. BB: undetermined.
Brief edit to add just this: I now see ingredients beyond the expected include both 'sugar, CO2'. Hmmm.
May 02, 2024L- Mid-amber. Despite care with chilling+handling It has some floaters in it. That suggests it might have been better to carefully decant the bottle in one go rather than two. 2mm white fine-bubble cap holding up well.
S- Quite mild for me, just a sense of malts perhaps being prominent.
T- Ooh... it's quite bold and man has that 8.5% made itself clearly visible from the very first sip! It has that... somewhat rich yet dry/sour note in the finish that can emulate very high ABV (say 12%+). Later as it warms a touch I start noticing the sour facet might resemble some sour-apple. The long/short is that this presents as one heck of a thumper for an 8.5%.
F- It is not shy to 'wear it's ABV% on it's sleeve'. Unusually though not uniquely it shouts higher% than it is.
O- An interesting one. Some people would dis-favour the very bold expression of ABV% as crude, unsophisticated etc. Up to you, but the prospect of a whole 750ml to myself is appealing rather less now.
As it warms a touch the flavour is broadening in its detail. The ABV%+'sour' is still there, it is the richness that is building. Glad I started it with a solid chill on it. --- I'll rate it now and look with interest at the labelling, and for any non-malt sugars here? We'll see, but never a good sign if present IME...
750ml caged/corked bottle. Very unusually I cannot find a BB etc anywhere on the packaging, I wonder why. Anyway, it's fresh from a major shop in France.
Bought from Carrefour 'mega' in Belley, France. BB: undetermined.
Brief edit to add just this: I now see ingredients beyond the expected include both 'sugar, CO2'. Hmmm.
Reviewed by captaincoffee from Virginia
3.27/5 rDev -6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.27/5 rDev -6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Sometimes, there just isn't a lot to say. This beer is the Heineken of biere de garde. The only thing you need to know is that it has plenty of off flavors and just isn't very good. Sorry if that's not a good review, but this beer is a disappointment and you simply shouldn't buy it.
Feb 10, 2018
Reviewed by The_Bujon from Ireland
3.43/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours very clear, token head.
Aroma is on the hoppy side, but not excessive, can sense the alcohol.
Taste is very sharp, and the alcohol certainly overpowers everything else.
Dry and alcoholic aftertaste, a very boozy brew, and some will like this I guess.
For me I think it is neither one thing or the other, if you want a strong blonde beer then Belgian tripels every day, if you want a houblon infused pale, then again head east for a Belgian.
Overall...average.
Aug 25, 2017Aroma is on the hoppy side, but not excessive, can sense the alcohol.
Taste is very sharp, and the alcohol certainly overpowers everything else.
Dry and alcoholic aftertaste, a very boozy brew, and some will like this I guess.
For me I think it is neither one thing or the other, if you want a strong blonde beer then Belgian tripels every day, if you want a houblon infused pale, then again head east for a Belgian.
Overall...average.
Reviewed by StJamesGate from New York
3.85/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Bright brass with film. 4
Grass, grain, and flowers. 4
Cut hay and honey, pear esters, slight phenol spice, then just dies. 3.75
Bubblegum linger.
Smooth, light+, no heat. 4
Tettnanger + Lubliner.
Looks right, smells Noble. And some interesting yeast notes. Shame they forgot the late hops. Hides the 8.5%, off style at best, too sweet, and just kinda aimless. 3.75
May 24, 2017Grass, grain, and flowers. 4
Cut hay and honey, pear esters, slight phenol spice, then just dies. 3.75
Bubblegum linger.
Smooth, light+, no heat. 4
Tettnanger + Lubliner.
Looks right, smells Noble. And some interesting yeast notes. Shame they forgot the late hops. Hides the 8.5%, off style at best, too sweet, and just kinda aimless. 3.75
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