Chimay Blue, sold as Grande Réserve in the big corked bottles, is one of the benchmark beers of the Belgian Trappist tradition. Brewed at Scourmont Abbey, it started life as a Christmas ale in the late 1940s and became so popular that it joined the year-round lineup. It is also famously age-worthy: the bottle conditioning means a cellared bottle keeps developing for years.

The basics

• Brewery: Bières de Chimay (Scourmont Abbey, Chimay, Belgium)
• Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
• ABV: 9%
• IBU: 28

What to expect

Grande Réserve pours dark brown with a creamy tan head. The aroma brings dark fruit, caramel, and a touch of spice, and the flavor follows with fig, raisin, and plum layered over rich malt, a hint of pepper, and a gentle warming alcohol presence. The body is full but never heavy, and the 9% strength hides remarkably well behind the complexity. It is a slow sipper, best in a chalice with food like roasted meats, aged cheese, or dark chocolate.

Our rating

7.0/10
Rated by Alex (7). Alex rated this one a solid 7, and we think that is fair rather than generous. Grande Réserve is beautifully made and genuinely world-class in its balance, but its richness and strength make it an occasional beer rather than a regular. A bucket-list bottle for any beer fan, and one worth cellaring.