Scratch Beer 10 - 2008 (Grand Cru)
Tröegs Brewing Company

Scratch Beer 10 - 2008 (Grand Cru)Scratch Beer 10 - 2008 (Grand Cru)
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From:
Tröegs Brewing Company
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Belgian Pale Strong Ale
ABV:
11%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.79 | pDev: 13.98%
Reviews:
59
Ratings:
65
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 18, 2022
Added:
May 16, 2008
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  0
The third time just might be the charm—Scratch #10-2008 is our third triple in the Scratch Beer series. This grand cru has been lovingly aged since late-February, yet still unleashes the slightest hint of alcohol heat. Scratch #10-2008 also has a triple flavor inspiration combining the caramel/toffee notes of dememera sugar and molasses, with citrus and licorice flavors created by the orange peel and star anise; lastly we create a peppery/spicy finish with the same trappist yeast has been used in each Scratch Beer Triple.

18 IBU.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Kegatron:
Photo of Kegatron
Rated by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

Jan 08, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of mynie
Reviewed by mynie from Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Rating for the sake of rating. Apparently this became Naked Elf?

Anyhow, I got this in a trade like 13 years ago and it has no value now.

Pour is limp, which is completely understandable for a beer that's 14-ish years old. I am grading on a curve.

Aroma is... likewise limp. Very sweet. Belgian yeast.

Flavor is not limp, but the body might make you believe otherwise (again, no fault of the beer itself). Aged surprisingly okay, but I feel like this definitely peaked around 2011 or so. Candi sugar and bananas all throughout, with some booze and pepper on the back end.
Feb 18, 2022
Photo of Huhzubendah
Rated by Huhzubendah from District of Columbia

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle shared by Russian Dragon. Thanks Dave.
Apr 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by DrBier from Pennsylvania

Sep 19, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by t0rin0 from California

Mar 04, 2013
Photo of orangesol
Reviewed by orangesol from Pennsylvania

3.59/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
First and foremost, this rating is based on how this one is drinking right now, not in the past.

Yet again, big thanks to Deuane for giving me one of these to try.

A - Pours amber red with a small film of white head, dissipating down to nothing at all, leaving little to no lace down the glass.

S - Smells of banana, green apples, pears, bubble gum, anise and honey sweetness. The nose on this one is surprisingly pleasant.

T - Flavors are nearly identical to the nose with some caramel and toffee sweetness thrown in for good measure. There is some light oxidation at the end of each sip but it isn't as much as I was expecting. Finish is fruity with some lingering sweetness, clinging to the palate long after the finish.

M - Medium body with very little carbonation. Slick, sticky feel with a good amount of booze still hanging around the edges.

O - While this one is definitely past its prime it still has quite a few interesting flavors to keep me interested. I thought this one would be a total mess but I am actually surprised how well it has held up.
Aug 07, 2012
Photo of brewcrew76
Reviewed by brewcrew76 from Wisconsin

3.82/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
thanks to phnphilly for this one.

A - Muddy orange with a thin head that dissipates immediately.

S - Smells like spiced banana Laffy Taffy. Honey, anise, apple, pear and overripe fruit.

T - Sweet, white grape, anise, honey, overripe fruit, apple and pear with some Belgian yeast character and lingering sweetness.

M - Medium to full body, slightly boozy with little carbonation making it a bit syrupy.

D - The flavors I got in this beer would make me think it was a total mess but I actually enjoyed it.
Dec 18, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by Gonzoillini from Illinois

Dec 15, 2011
 
Rated: 5 by Khazadum from Illinois

Dec 15, 2011
Photo of Urbancaver
Reviewed by Urbancaver from Ohio

4.07/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a clear yellowish orange... No real head. Smells lightly hoppy and boozy. Sweet, strong, boozy. Very yeasty on the nose and tongue. The booziness overpowers. Thick nice mouthfeel but a bit sharp. Overall low carbonation but nice and enjoyable for sure
Sep 07, 2011
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to Greg for sending this one my way!

A: The beer pours a slightly hazed orange color with a thin and short lived white head, though there are plenty of carbonation bubbles on the glass.

S: Smells like pure candy. Intensely sugary with lots and lots of banana notes. A bit of a floral honey note and some other sweet/overripe fruits, perhaps some pears. Strong herbal aroma, especially anise and perhaps sage.

T: Lots of sweet sugar, caramel, and brown sugar flavor. A bit of a white grape flavor and some other intensely sweet fruit flavors. The anise character is a bit more subdued, but it comes through more and more as the beer warms up.

M: Medium in body with a somewhat low carbonation.

O: I wasn't a huge fan of the anise flavor in this beer. It seems to just take over. Luckily there wasn't any booze presence, which is surprising for an 11% beer.
May 17, 2011
Photo of nickd717
Reviewed by nickd717 from California

3.58/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to Troy G. for the tick.

Cloudy orangish-amber color with a small fading off-white head and lots of floaties in the beer.

Nice aroma, evident of a big beer. Honey and white wine, citrus peel, anise, sugar, and Belgian yeast.

The flavor is rather spicy with a sweet malt base, honey and sugar, caramel, orange, spices, and molasses.

Medium-full bodied with some booziness remaining after three years of age. Some alcohol warming.

I expect this beer is probably a little better now than it was young. It's not a standout, but it's enjoyable and definitely does the trick as far as getting some good ol' CH3CH2OH into your system.
Mar 02, 2011
Photo of TheManiacalOne
Reviewed by TheManiacalOne from Rhode Island

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Acquired from mikereaser courtesy of the Local Goods BIF, so a big "Thank You" goes out to him. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep golden brown color, with a very thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a very thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains caramelized malts, apples, alcohol, some Belgian yeast and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with candy sweet flavors of caramel and brown sugar. Then a strong alcohol sting follows quickly along with some spice and tart flavors of apples and other fruit. There's a hearty malt character and a faint hops presence. There's a lot of complexity with the flavors but not much balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Flavorful, goes down ok, not too filling, very strong kick, decent representation of style, this is one of those beers where there's too much going on for its own good thus detracting from its overall quality.
Oct 21, 2010
Photo of kkipple
Reviewed by kkipple from South Carolina

4.04/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Massive Mega Scratch Beer Tasting @ the Meat Meet, 8.21.2010. Thanks Unclejedi!

Scores reflect how the beer is drinking NOW, and not when released.

Deep almost red-gold, Dwarven. No head. No lace. No bubbles. Smells of sweet toffee and white pepper, with anise and... mint? Weird! Good! Flavor is highly unusual and characterful, with everything aforementioned dancing on your tongue. Maybe some black tea, too. What yeast is this...? Surely memorable, age apparently hasn't hurt it much. A little warming, but this is odd and very tasteful. I can dig it... would very much like to see the recipe!
Aug 22, 2010
Photo of ppoitras
Reviewed by ppoitras from Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle obtained via GATM from mday. Thanks for the opportunity.

Poured into an Otter Creek Imp Series tulip, formed a 1/2" beige head above the slightly cloudy honey amber brew. Head holds on well, with thick coating lace. Aroma is sweet and spicy, with a moderately alcoholic undercurrent. Taste is sweet to start, a bit of fruity tartness in the middle, and closes with some tannins and an almost harsh alcohol flavor. Mouthfeel and drinkability are both pretty good, limited somewhat by the strong flavors at the swallow.
Jul 22, 2010
Photo of JoeyBeerBelly
Reviewed by JoeyBeerBelly from New York

1.85/5  rDev -51.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
I got this brew from mday for winning SNF Squares - Week 13, Thanks Mike!

12oz bottle served in a snifter.

Murky rust color without much of a head?
Smell is somewhat metalic and lighty fruity.
Taste is also a bit metalic, with some fruity flavor, pears & white grapes.
Medium bodied but it's hard getting past the metalic smell/taste.
This beer may have been long past it's prime as it became a drain pour for me.
Dec 20, 2009
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

2.08/5  rDev -45.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Appearance: Pours a cloudy amber color without any head to speak of; just a few bubbles around the edge

Smell: Rum-soaked stewed fruit and fusel alcohol

Taste: Very sweet and fruity, almost quad-like, up front, with a developing fusel alcohol flavor that tastes just a bit too much like paint thinner as it lingers in the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with low to moderate carbonation and considerable burn as it goes down the gullet

Drinkability: Having sampled three of the Belgian scratch series in a row this evening (14, 21 and 10) and tossed each one of them, I think the Tröegs (whose other beers I have truly enjoyed) might want to focus on their strengths - Belgians are clearly not one of them
Dec 08, 2009
Photo of ckeegan04
Reviewed by ckeegan04 from Texas

3.77/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - Golden orange with very little head. A thin white ring settle around the beer and almost no lace is left behind. Lots of floaties.

S - Strong Belgian yeast aroma with lots of bubble gum and a hint of spice. Fruity notes comes through as the beer warms.

T - Very wit like in the taste with alot of bubblegum and banana. The yeast is certainly the dominant flavor here. I would guess a little candi sugar was used as well because there is a strong underlying sweetness.

M/D - Medium bodied with a slick feel. A little on the sweet side but still fairly drinkable.
Oct 19, 2009
Photo of Deuane
Reviewed by Deuane from Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Review from my backlog of notes...trying to clean up the old Scratch beers that I have failed to input my data.

A-Brilliant hazy dark gold color with visible "floaties" with a thin white head that left spotty lace.

S-Very strong aromatics with notes of corriander, banana, bubblegum. and other generic "spicy" notes.

T-Like a spiced fruit salad with honey drizzled on top. Apple, banana and melon with spicy notes on top. All of this is swirled in a honey sweetness. Very nice.

M-Medium body very smooth and viscous. Flavours linger long.

D-While I found this one very pleasant, wonderful aroma and good initial taste, it started to wear on me. I enjoyed my pint but I was glad when it was done. I think a 12 oz bottle of this at a time is plenty.
Jul 16, 2009
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

4.17/5  rDev +10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Murky apricot with all sorts of dark floaters, some of which sink to the bottom of the glass. No worries, the mouthfeel is silky smooth. The cap is yellowish gold in color and is anything but Belgianesque in terms of size and texture. A single swath of BB-shot lace is the extent of the glass coverage.

Troegs calls this big brute a tripel (and a grand cru), to which they've added all sorts of interesting stuff: orange peel, star anise and molasses. The first two are appreciated, although I could never have identified them if blinded. Trappist yeast adds a phenolic spiciness that is typical of the style.

Scratch 10 isn't the best of this series, but it's pretty damn good. Even though I believe that beer of this style doesn't need to be dressed up, the ingredients that TBC chose to use work well. It helps if you like black licorice because the star anise comes through loud and clear. There's also more sweetness than is typical, probably due to both demerara sugar and molasses.

The flavor profile consists of pears in heavy syrup, licorice/anise, molasses, sugar-crusted citrus peel and a mini-blast of ground clove. I hate to simply repeat the ingredients list, but that's really what the beer tastes like. More than one year of age might have something to do with the beautifully buried alcohol.

All that added sugar makes the mouthfeel full and moderately sticky. It's American Big Beer lush and plush, even if it isn't as lightly creamy and expansive as the best Belgian ales.

For my money, the Scratch Series from Troegs is the best such series in the world of craft beer. I've now had 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12. Only 12 (an IPA) wasn't outstanding. I hope these guys are smart enough to brew some of these beauties again. On a regular basis would be great.
Jun 30, 2009
Scratch Beer 10 - 2008 (Grand Cru) from Tröegs Brewing Company
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 65 ratings