Allagash Grand Cru
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(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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Belgian-style beer is easy to love — and in Portland, ME, Allagash brews up plenty worth loving.
According to the Brewery History on the Allagash website:
From the very beginning, Allagash has strived to produce the finest Belgian-style and experimental ales this side of the Atlantic. It began as New England’s original Belgian-style brewery and has grown into one of the industry’s most distinguished and well-respected brands. Following the time-tested brewing traditions of ancient Belgium, Allagash now produces a broad-ranging portfolio of artisanal beers with uncompromising quality.
I’ve been looking forward to trying Allagash. Despite moving to New England a few years ago, I’ve somehow missed out of this great brewery — until now.
Things didn’t go exactly according to plan. I’ve been mapping out a couple of Belgian beer weeks, in which I would try out several Belgian beers and then move on to Belgian-style brews from the US. But when I got home around 11pm on Saturday night (I’m writing this from notes on Sunday), only one bottle in my fridge interested me.
After a week spotted by Busch and Michelob, I decided there could be no better time to break out the Allagash Grand Cru. I brought the beer up to serving temperature and finished the 12 oz bottle right at 11:59.
From the label:
We brew Allagash Grand Cru each year in limited quantities. Its deep-golden color, full malty palate, and gentle fruit and spice aroma make it a perfect compliment to the cooler New England Seasons.
We’re two days into Spring, so with luck the worst of that cool New England weather is behind me — but the outside temperature was still in the lower 40s when I popped open the bottle. I used my new chalice (purchased specifically with these Belgians in mind) and I can think of few beers more worthy of the glass’s maiden voyage.
Grand Cru is a beautiful winter seasonal. The beer is dark gold and filled with tiny suspensions, recalling the snow flakes that speckle the label. And the aroma is rich and spicy with clove and orange peel, like a pot of wassail that has been warming on the stove all through Christmas dinner. Very enjoyable to drink. Rich layers of flavor — clove spice, banana, and orange peel make up the sweet and the bitter, with bread muddled through the middle and pepper on the finish. All of this washes through your mouth in a bubbly rush, but the fruit and spice linger long after the sip.
And at 7.2% ABV, Allagash Grand Cru is certain to keep you warm on a long winter’s night.
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