Chimay Blue = Grande Reserve??

Like you said, same beer but different name in different sized bottle (though the larger bottle does allow for slightly different conditions in the beer's development over time) . The menu should reflect this but to be fair the bar is probably unaware of the distinction.

 

does this answer your question?

 

I know I've seen Chimay Blue with a different label and a higher price.

 

Identical beers, the name just reflects that it is better suited for aging.

 

Why is it better suited for aging?

 

Same thing.

 

I don’t remember the science but taste evolution is supposed to go more gradual in a big format resulting into less off-flavours. This is the reasoning behind the bigger formats for aging, whether you agree or not I believe that this is their logic. At worst they are supposed to evolve different.

Much appreciated if someone can chime in with the science, discredit or confirm this idea.

 

They are different beers....
White label is a dubbel @ 7%
Red label is a tripple @ 8%
Blue label is a dark ale @ 9%

 

I think the idea here is threefold. Larger bottles, thicker bottles, and anything sealed with a cork can handle more carbonation without exploding. Cork allows for more leakage of excess CO2, reducing the chance of breaking.

The second idea is that since brewers can and do allow for more CO2 in these formats, having more CO2 will change how the beer ages.

The third idea is that since the width of the space between the beer at the top of the bottle and the seal above it are pretty much the same no matter the bottle format, the smaller your bottle the greater the ratio of surface oxygen exposure to beer. Put another way: a bottle twice as large as another bottle with the same surface area has 50% less of its beer exposed to air. The idea here being that less exposure to air, even if it's air in the bottle, is generally a good thing, as it lowers oxidation.

To be honest I think that 3rd factoid is less of an issue with beer or carbonated wine than it would be with anything uncarbonated. If the brewer did his job there shouldn't be much oxygen in that space anyway, and there's already oxygen in the beer anyway. The pressure inside a carbonated bottle, in my mind, would likely keep the oxygen away from the beer and closer to the seal, where it wants to get out. Since most wine isn't pressurized, I think more of the oxygen in that space will leak into the wine, so having a smaller head space is more important.


There may or may not be unconfirmed junk science in the above comments.

Blue=Grande Reserve
Red=Premiere
White-Cinq Cents

 

That is some mixed up information you have there.

Chimay White = Tripel @ 8% ABV
Chimay Red = Dubbel @ 7% ABV
Chimay Blue = BSDA @ 9% ABV

I guess you got one right...

 

I would bet it has more to do with bottle conditioning. But I;m not sure if the smaller format is bottle conditioned or not.

 

Thx! for the info, sounds about what I heard before.


I have found that larger formats hold up better with age. I am talking here about extensive aging, like multiple years to decades. The difference is more noticeable once you go to really big sizes aka 3+ litre or kegs.

 

Pretty much everything other than macro pale lagers etc. is bottle conditioned in Belgium.

I would be truly surprised if the small ones aren’t bottle conditioned.

 

Makes sense and is no surprise. I just wanted to put it out there that bottle conditioning is one of the biggest factors in aging.

I have also never heard about different size bottles aging differently.

 

So I mixed up my colors. Better then all the previous post.

 

The 330 ml Chimay Blue is bottled conditioned.

Different sized bottles aging differently??
They do. Its common knowledge in wine circles that cellared 375ml bottles mature quicker and should be drunk earlier than the standard 750ml bottles. The funny thing is that when it comes to Chimay Blue the 750ml bottle doesn't reward aging anything like the 330ml bottle.

 

not so much, since you claimed that they are different beers, which they aren't (just different bottle sizes). and you were wrong about 2 of the 3 styles/colors... Epic fail.

or, better put... "Mr. Madison, what you've just said... is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."