Purchased: 11.2oz bottle (bottled on 17/01/14) from a 4-pack gift set bought at Binny's in IL; 2014
Style/ABV: Grand Cru/Belgian Golden Strong Ale, 9.5%
Style/ABV: Grand Cru/Belgian Golden Strong Ale, 9.5%
Reported IBUs: ?
I feel pretty good about my Super Bowl pick, and specifically my pick that the Seahawks and the Seahawks' defense would probably trounce the Broncos, but I really didn't expect the ridiculous blowout and bed crapping that we got. Oh well. About St. Feuillien:
St. Feuillien is is an Abbey-stye brewery based out of Le Roeulx, Belgium, founded in 1873. The brewery's history goes back to the 7th century, when an Irish monk by the name Feuillien came to Belgium to preach the Gospel. Unfortunately...while traveling through Le Roeulx, Feuillien was martyred and beheaded. In memory of Feuillien, his disciples built a chapel in 1125, which became the Abbey of Prémontrés, later known as the Abbaye St-Feuillien du Roeulx. The Abbey prospered until the French Revolution. St. Feuillien makes use of natural ingredients, centuries-old brewing methods, and (I believe) all their beers are bottle conditioned. You can read more about them HERE.
The St. Feuillien Grand Cru is a "specialty beer" brewed with noble hops and nondescript ingredients. Punching in at 9.5%...this is a big beer. So yeah, hooray for descriptions. Let's get this into a glass.
The Grand Cru pours into a luscious, Belgian-esque, Golden Strong Ale body. We're talking about a hazy pineapple-orange body, and two fingers of soapy, thin, rapidly dissolving white head. In brighter light the body is an orange-yellow, Mimosa color. There is some carbonation rising upwards, along with some peppery yeast sediment floating around. The head settles into a nice cauldron effect, and glossy alcohol legs coat the glass.
I'm really digging the aroma here. I'm getting a lot of perfume phenol and esters, floral aromas, some wheat/Pils malts, orange and lemon and citrus zest, some stone fruits, apples and pears, some grassy and floral Noble hop bitterness, a touch of zesty alcohol, and some mild barnyard/farm characteristic.
This is boozy and fantastic, with expansive wheat that is creamy and luscious, hints of banana, bubblegum, white sugar, and clove, and tons of floral Noble hop pop. I'm getting citrus: pineapple, orange, lemon, and some other elusive stone fruits. There's some nice Belgian funk with hay and barnyard in the mix, and hints of zesty and medicinal booze. There's also some grain, bread, toast, and nuttiness in the mix. Quite complex, boozy, and big.
This is a medium-full bodied beer thanks to all the carbonation. But it's still creamy and dense, and wheat-fueled. The 9.5% booze is hidden and subtle, like you'd expect in a Belgian Strong Ale or Tripel or Quad. But you still do get some booze. Palate depth is great, and complexity is pretty good for the style. I find this beer to be drinkable. I also find this beer to be pretty funky, with lots of Belgian funk and hay. It's also very balanced and easy-going, with lots of hop character, malt character, citrus fruits, and some subtle bready/nutty notes. Up front: wheat, clove, phenol spice, pepper, peppery booze, and citrus; that rolls into more citrus, some bitter Noble hops, floral notes, some hay and grass, Belgian funk; the back end picks up on the booze, with some toast/nutty/grain, and the finish is dry with lingering Noble hop goodness. Really nice and refined.
Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd) |
| St. Feuillien Grand Cru |
The Grand Cru pours into a luscious, Belgian-esque, Golden Strong Ale body. We're talking about a hazy pineapple-orange body, and two fingers of soapy, thin, rapidly dissolving white head. In brighter light the body is an orange-yellow, Mimosa color. There is some carbonation rising upwards, along with some peppery yeast sediment floating around. The head settles into a nice cauldron effect, and glossy alcohol legs coat the glass.
I'm really digging the aroma here. I'm getting a lot of perfume phenol and esters, floral aromas, some wheat/Pils malts, orange and lemon and citrus zest, some stone fruits, apples and pears, some grassy and floral Noble hop bitterness, a touch of zesty alcohol, and some mild barnyard/farm characteristic.
This is boozy and fantastic, with expansive wheat that is creamy and luscious, hints of banana, bubblegum, white sugar, and clove, and tons of floral Noble hop pop. I'm getting citrus: pineapple, orange, lemon, and some other elusive stone fruits. There's some nice Belgian funk with hay and barnyard in the mix, and hints of zesty and medicinal booze. There's also some grain, bread, toast, and nuttiness in the mix. Quite complex, boozy, and big.
This is a medium-full bodied beer thanks to all the carbonation. But it's still creamy and dense, and wheat-fueled. The 9.5% booze is hidden and subtle, like you'd expect in a Belgian Strong Ale or Tripel or Quad. But you still do get some booze. Palate depth is great, and complexity is pretty good for the style. I find this beer to be drinkable. I also find this beer to be pretty funky, with lots of Belgian funk and hay. It's also very balanced and easy-going, with lots of hop character, malt character, citrus fruits, and some subtle bready/nutty notes. Up front: wheat, clove, phenol spice, pepper, peppery booze, and citrus; that rolls into more citrus, some bitter Noble hops, floral notes, some hay and grass, Belgian funk; the back end picks up on the booze, with some toast/nutty/grain, and the finish is dry with lingering Noble hop goodness. Really nice and refined.
I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. Somewhere in that B+ to A- range...it's very much what I would expect from a boozy Tripel or Belgian Strong Ale, without doing anything that is really blowing my mind. Nevertheless, this is a well-crafted beer. The booze is warming, and this is a beer I would pair with meats and cheeses, grilled meats, rustic dishes, and a meal at home. It's the perfect Winter Pale Ale. Boozy and big, but still bright and fresh. Good stuff, would bang again.
Random Thought: I hate it when I break my beer glasses. There is no feeling worse than the sinking feeling when you chip a beer glass. Fuck.
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