Chimay Blue (Grande Réserve)

After all the build up I’ve experienced in anticipation of the Chimay Blue, I was a little nervous that I might be disappointed tonight. A common refrain among many of my worldly readers and beer enthusiasts was, “If you liked (insert great beer here), just wait until you try the Chimay Blue.”

High expectations, indeed. But I’ll admit I was just a touch disappointed . . . disappointed not to have had a 750ml bottle! In aroma, taste, and mouthfeel, Chimay Blue carried itself as a timeless classic and a new favorite I won’t be able to enjoy again until 2010, when my “one a day with no repeats” challenge is over. The empty 11.2 oz bottle left me pining for more.

My first impression of the Chimay Blue wasn’t the aroma, or even the appearance of the beer. As I poured the Blue into my chalice, the sound of the pour was more pronounced than that of any beer so far this year. As the ale slipped carefully into the glass, the carbonation hissed and cracked and created a long, sustained fizz while a surprisingly delicate head formed and dissipated.

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Chimay Première (Red)

We’re only two days into this Belgian adventure, but I’ve already learned quite a bit during my excursion into Trappist ales.

Yesterday, I linked to some required reading — but for today, how about I serve up some “required viewing”. Tom Bedell sent me an interview he taped for Tim and Amy Brady’s great video blog Here For The Beer. In the video, which you can find here, Tim talks with Tom Bedell and they sample many of the same Trappist ales I’ll be drinking over the next several days.

Chimay Red (Rouge, or Première), the first beer they try, also happens to be what I drank tonight.

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Chimay Tripel (White, Cinq Cents)

Okay everyone, gather ’round and listen up! We’re officially kicking off several days of Belgian beer drinking here on BeerADay.net, and I hope you’ll join in, post your thoughts, and maybe use this as an excuse to try out some new Belgian beer.

Last weekend gave us a quick preview — I enjoyed some of the best Belgian-style beer New England can offer. But tonight is the official launch of BeerADay.net’s Belgian session. And since I can only drink one beer a day, this session will make Inna Gadda Da Vida look like a gum commercial jingle.

We’re commencing with Chimay, starting with the Chimay Tripel — known as “White” in the 11.2 oz bottle, and “Cinq Cents” in the 750 ml version — and progressing through the Red and the Blue (A.K.A. the Première and Grande Réserve, respectively).

Before we get started, I have some required reading for everyone. Head on over to 52Brews.com for a primer on Trappist brewing by “Mr. Weiz Guy”. Go ahead, I’ll wait for you.

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Long Trail Traditional IPA

Starting each week with a rush of IPA hops began as a force to counterbalance the Monday doldrums, but the tradition has grown to symbolize a fresh start for each week. And after a week marked by a couple of less-than-stellar beers, IPA Monday couldn’t come quickly enough.

I was pleased to sit back and enjoy tonight’s easy-going IPA. We can all only hope the week goes by as smoothly as this IPA did.

Long Trail IPA is a complex but mild IPA in the English style. According to the Long Trail website:

Real IPA, as it was first brewed in the days of the British Empire, was not he carefully filtered brew that we call IPA today. The first IPAs were unfiltered and featured extra hops and higher strength as a preservative for the long trip from England to the colony of India. Our Traditional IPA is naturally carbonated, dry-hopped & unfiltered like the old days.

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Allagash White

After leaping straight to the Allagash Grand Cru last night, I’ve decided to stick with Allagash for a second night and try the brewery’s flagship beer, Allagash White.

Allagash grew around this beer. According to the Brewery History page on the Allagash website:

Allagash began with the release of its Allagash White, modeled after the traditional “White” beers of Belgium. Also referred to as “wit” beers, they get their unique flavor from the use of wheat in place of barley, Curacao orange peel and the careful sprinkling of coriander and other spices. Allagash combined these ingredients with their very own proprietary Belgian yeast strain to create the remarkably unique and refreshing beer that is today their flagship brand. Allagash White developed a strong cult following around the Portland area where it was available at selected draft accounts. Due to its immediate success, the beer was soon made available in 12-ounce six-packs throughout the state of Maine.

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Last Consumed:

My wife and I usually select a Christmas Tree during the weekend after Thanksgiving, and we were thrilled to discover the farm down the road from us is selling trees this year. She and I stopped by the farm while walking our Boston Terrier, Caesar, who helped us sniff out a good one. After my wife and I dithered over the best tree for several minutes, Caesar weighed in with his selection by lifting his leg on a plump Fraser Fir.

I hope that means he liked it.

The tree went up on my shoulder, I carried it home (drawing chuckles from several people driving by), and our Christmas season officially began. We’ve been listening to Christmas music, drinking hot chocolate, and generally sickening all humbugs spying through our windows.

So it should come as no surprise that I’ve selected the “Hoppy Christmas Ale” from Belgium’s Brewery De Ranke. The beer — Père Noël (imported by Shelton Brothers) — intimates the reason for Father Christmas’ jolly cheeks and rosy nose; the label depicts Santa embracing the frothy, 7% ABV Strong Pale Ale.

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