Help a beer noob out!

[Tiamat]

So, my gf got back from trader joes and she got me this beer simply cause she liked the bottle. Now, I am a total beer noob, I can pour beers, but I've only had local brews, japanese beers, and stuff like Smithwicks, Killians.

It is a 75cl bottle of Chimay Ale Pères Trappistes Grande Réserve. Personally, I never heard of it before, I normally drink single-malt scotch or the aforementioned beers.

1. Is this "good"
2. Drink from bottle or pour into pilsner glass
3. Thanks for reading/posting/advice/comments

 

[Jules]

Just drink it?

 

[Yossarian451]

Chimay grand reserve is quite nice if you like Belgians. They are sweet and spicy. Pour everything except last 1/4 inch, since it is bottle conditioned.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: Yossarian451
Chimay grand reserve is quite nice if you like Belgians. They are sweet and spicy. Pour everything except last 1/4 inch, since it is bottle conditioned.

OK, thanks. Well, I dunno if I like Belgians (never had beer from this area before), so I guess here is the trial.

 

[ChaoZ]

Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth
Just drink it?

Yea wtf, you already have the beer.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: ChaoZ

Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth
Just drink it?

Yea wtf, you already have the beer.

Well, i didn't know if there was a special way to drink it, as with cognac and single-malt scotch. Shrugs, maybe people in Europe drink from straws or someting :laugh:

Point taken.

 

[brxndxn]

Maybe you should go a little slower..

Istead of beer noob > beer snob > beer hater (because expensive beers are more 'acquired' taste... how about beer noob > beer drinker > beer snob?

Try some NORMAL beer.. Here's some decent (not OMG SNOB) ones:

Fosters
Sam Adams
Bass

Some decent light beer:
Miller Lite (ignore snobs' opinions; they're all fat)
Amstel Light



Actually.. most beer is good beer..

Here's some bad beer:

Rolling Rock

 

[Jules]

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: ChaoZ

Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth
Just drink it?

Yea wtf, you already have the beer.

Well, i didn't know if there was a special way to drink it, as with cognac and single-malt scotch. Shrugs, maybe people in Europe drink from straws or someting :laugh:

Point taken.

Its beer.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: brxndxn
Maybe you should go a little slower..

Istead of beer noob > beer snob > beer hater (because expensive beers are more 'acquired' taste... how about beer noob > beer drinker > beer snob?

Try some NORMAL beer.. Here's some decent (not OMG SNOB) ones:

Fosters
Sam Adams
Bass

Some decent light beer:
Miller Lite (ignore snobs' opinions; they're all fat)
Amstel Light



Actually.. most beer is good beer..

Here's some bad beer:

Rolling Rock

Over the past 6 years I've had:
Smithwicks
Amstel Light
Bass
Sam Adams Cherry Wheat
Heineken
Kirin Ichiban
Sapporo
Tsingtao
Asahi

Those were "good"

Only one I didnt like was Guiness, Budweiser, and the ones you find at parties where they bought like 60 cans for cheap.

But, as you can see, nothing really from central/east europe :/

 

[Tiamat]

Its good.

/thread

 

[Hubes]

pretty sure your suppose to pour that into a wide mouth glass. Like a goblet type glass. Think that one is 9% so a bottle should get you going pretty good for the day/night.

 

[alien42]

all chimays are :thumbsup:

 

[RollWave]

You dont like Guinness?!!! Agh!

 

[Manuwell]

Almost each belgian beer has its own dedicated glass. Here's the one for the Chimay Text

 

[screw3d]

Chimay is some good stuff. Them belgians know a thing or two about their beers.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: RollWave
You dont like Guinness?!!! Agh!

Not yet at least. I like to like all foods (I dislike being limited in my choices), so im sure ill try guinness occasionally until I do like it.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: brxndxn
Maybe you should go a little slower..

Istead of beer noob > beer snob > beer hater (because expensive beers are more 'acquired' taste... how about beer noob > beer drinker > beer snob?

Try some NORMAL beer.. Here's some decent (not OMG SNOB) ones:

Fosters
Sam Adams
Bass

Some decent light beer:
Miller Lite (ignore snobs' opinions; they're all fat)
Amstel Light



Actually.. most beer is good beer..

Here's some bad beer:

Rolling Rock

Michael: I'll get you a Rolling Rock.
Linda: Okay.
Michael: It's a good beer, it's the best around.

Good enough for DeNiro in the Deer Hunter, good enough for me.

 

[potato28]

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: RollWave
You dont like Guinness?!!! Agh!

Not yet at least. I like to like all foods (I dislike being limited in my choices), so im sure ill try guinness occasionally until I do like it.

Bud tastes like water.

 

[virtuamike]

You wouldn't drink good wine straight out of the bottle - let the beer breathe. Sniffers or goblets (something wide) would work.

Chimay is a great beer.

 

[illusion88]

Budweiser is terrible

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: virtuamike
You wouldn't drink good wine straight out of the bottle - let the beer breathe. Sniffers or goblets (something wide) would work.

Chimay is a great beer.

I drank it out of a standard tapered pint glass :/

It actually tasted better when it was sitting out on my desk for about 15 minutes.

 

[darthsidious]

That makes sense; belgian stong dark ales should typically be drunk at a warmer temperature than your average 'ice cold' beer.

Chimay is a good beer, :thumbsup: on your first belgian. It's a love affair, once you start, you can't stop. Now try other belgian/trappist beers like La Chouffe, Rochefort 8,10 etc...

BTW, what did you think of it?

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: virtuamike
You wouldn't drink good wine straight out of the bottle - let the beer breathe. Sniffers or goblets (something wide) would work.

Chimay is a great beer.

I drank it out of a standard tapered pint glass :/

It actually tasted better when it was sitting out on my desk for about 15 minutes.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: darthsidious
That makes sense; belgian stong dark ales should typically be drunk at a warmer temperature than your average 'ice cold' beer.

Chimay is a good beer, :thumbsup: on your first belgian. It's a love affair, once you start, you can't stop. Now try other belgian/trappist beers like La Chouffe, Rochefort 8,10 etc...

BTW, what did you think of it?

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: virtuamike
You wouldn't drink good wine straight out of the bottle - let the beer breathe. Sniffers or goblets (something wide) would work.

Chimay is a great beer.

I drank it out of a standard tapered pint glass :/

It actually tasted better when it was sitting out on my desk for about 15 minutes.

The finish of the beer was amazingly fast and clean. Of course, this is coming from a guy used to cognac which lasts 5-15 minutes in the mouth. The 9% was unexpectantly powerful in terms of effects, but it didnt seem to make the taste particularly "alcohol-like" which was pleasant. The taste seemed quite a bit more refined compared to my previous favorite casual beer, Smithwicks in terms of boldness of flavor without losing control and causing wierd aftertastes. The spicy-portion of the flavor wasnt present with as much force in any of the other beers I had before with exception to a local brew pale ale (which had a lasting aftertaste). Apart from guiness, this is the darkest coloured beer I have drank.

After this beer, I'd say most of the other beers I have had, save a couple exceptions would go down like water.

I'd have to say my girlfriend (she knows nothing about beers) made a miraculous random pick.