Grand Cru
Hinterland Brewery Restaurant

Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Hinterland Brewery Restaurant
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Belgian Pale Strong Ale
ABV:
9.6%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.92 | pDev: 10.97%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
26
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 21, 2019
Added:
Jul 13, 2012
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  8
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Vierenner:
Photo of Vierenner
Rated by Vierenner from Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
A little too sweet for my liking.
Aug 27, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by scaliasux from Wisconsin

Apr 21, 2019
Photo of Sammy
Rated by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
2015 vintage good belgian pale. hops in the finish. sweet up front.
Apr 18, 2019
 
Rated: 4.1 by bplabernie from Michigan

Mar 31, 2018
Photo of Victory_Sabre1973
Reviewed by Victory_Sabre1973 from Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a darker amber color. The head is red tinted white color. Really frothy head, really thick - 4 finger - really long lasting, and not an aggressive pour.
The nose is interesting, malty. Some spices in it.
Taste - after the head went down a bit - I get a complex flavor profile. Spices. Maltiness. Some bitterness on the backside. I also feel the burn from the 9.6%.
Thick feeling beer.
I must admit that this is an unusual beer, but not bad. I don't know if it would be different fresh, but it isn't bad with the age on it.
Oct 06, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by freewill35 from Indiana

Aug 29, 2016
Photo of 5Y_Chris
Rated by 5Y_Chris from Wisconsin

4.88/5  rDev +24.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Wonderful first taste and a very complex Belgian. I am a huge fan of this one!
Aug 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.42 by IckyT2012 from Florida

Jul 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.61 by sparx1100 from Minnesota

Apr 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.73 by adamranders from Wisconsin

Apr 09, 2016
Photo of ordybill
Reviewed by ordybill from Georgia

4.23/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured from the tap. The appearance is a clear honey brown color with a large thick white head. The aroma is full of caramel and toffee. The taste is very sweet with a hint of the high ABV noted. This is a very good beer.
Dec 30, 2015
 
Rated: 3.58 by BigRizz62 from Maryland

Oct 02, 2015
Photo of BeerFMAndy
Reviewed by BeerFMAndy from Wisconsin

4.01/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle poured into a Hinterland tulip.
8.6% ABV

A - Pouring with great clarity, this copper-colored beer is capped by a frothy skim of off-white foam that, with some haste, retires to a ring of loose bubbles leaving little lace clutching the glass.

S - Hinterland's Grand Cru has a complex malt aroma that brings a host of bready aromas to the forefront of the beer; dense wheat bread just pulled from the oven meets spicy, thick cut rye toast with a finish of dry biscuits. Earthy hops balance out the malt aroma with grassy notes and hints of tree bark all while very minute dark fruit nuances pull through from the terribly subtle Belgian yeast character.

T - While the aroma is heavily malty, it doesn't quite seem overly sweet as balanced by the hops; the flavor follows suit to a point. Big maltiness washes over the tongue with tons of bread character only, unlike the aroma might suggest, the flavor is quite sweet like warm piece of toast spread generously with honey. Earthy hops follow closely to balance the sweetness and provide some woody, grassy balance.

M - A good level of carbonation livens up this otherwise fairly full-bodied beer and despite the immediate sweetness that lingers throughout the beer, the hoppiness does a good job of balancing out the finish with a touch of dry bitterness that's a welcome addition to .

O - Hinterland's Grand Cru is a big beer. Not so much in alcohol content because even hovering around 9% it doesn't affect aroma of flavor in any noticeable way but this hefty beer brings it with a great malt profile and lingering sweetness balanced by earthy hops. My only complaint with Grand Cru is it being billed as a Belgian beer because, aside from subtle fruit nuances in the aroma, there's next to no Belgian characteristics to the beer. Go into this one expecting an American Strong Ale and you'll get exactly what you'd expect: an awesome, balanced, and dangerously drinkable brew from Hinterland.
Aug 29, 2015
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

4.24/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had on tap at Hinterland Milwaukee. Pours brilliant dark amber with ruby notes and produces a 2” moussey tan cap. Has a complex spicy nose. This is exceptionally creamy and fruity on the palate with pear standing out. A finishing bitter accent blanaces the initial slightly sweet fruit.
May 18, 2015
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

4.02/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Enjoyed from the bottle in a Duinen snifter, this interesting Grand Cru pours a lightly hazy reddish orange with a beautiful frothy light tan head that lingers a long time and produces great lacing. Nose of heavy caramel malts, moderate piney hops, light banana esters mingling with peach and plum, and strong alcohol. Flavors are up front sweet butterscotch and caramel that turns into a light peach like brandy quality. Hops that are piney and sticky are assertive on the aftertaste with strong alcohol searing them into a long sweet finish of peach like flavors. Good carbonation makes this an easy drinker, yet the hops are a bit much to the style, yet far from unpleasant. Very nice. Improves vastly with warmth. I find myself changing the rating a lot with more tastes. Very nice. Will try again.

Cheers!
Feb 20, 2015
 
Rated: 4.6 by Giesch from California

Jan 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4.15 by CraigTravor from California

Jan 21, 2015
Photo of morimech
Reviewed by morimech from Minnesota

3.57/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Reddish dark amber with a dense two finger head that slowly settled to a thick cap. Almost a solid sheet of lacing is left down the glass.

Heavy caramel and toffee aroma. Some floral and pine notes from the hops. Alcohol is detectable.

Surprising amount of strong yeast esters in the flavor as well as a touch of butterscotch. The malt and the hops did not really compliment each other. The caramel does not pair well with the pine flavored hops and the alcohol.

Big body and creamy texture. Very nice carbonation.

Has some good elements but the flavor was a letdown.
Aug 09, 2014
 
Rated: 2.75 by GRG1313 from California

Jul 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by AlbertVogler from South Carolina

Jul 27, 2014
Grand Cru from Hinterland Brewery Restaurant
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 26 ratings