Grand Cru (Brandy Barrel)
Black Diamond Brewing Company in Concord, California, United States 🇺🇸
Belgian Style - Strong Ale Regular Out of Production|
Score
7.15
|
|
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 10 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6.5
2011 Bottle Great violet coloured brown tinted body with a thin, fast-dying tan head that leaves an oily lace and a nice ruby and orange-tinted body. Aroma of super pungent brandy and cognac with a lot of chocolate, alcohol, caramel, toffee and a bunch of very complex and nice scents. Medium-bodied; Assertive malt flavour up front with a crazy sour note right afterward, some earth, caramel, grapes, raisins, prunes, plums and figs. Aftertaste shows a good slight sour note, some fresh fruit flavours and a complex alcohol bite. Overall, a good beer, but not as good as it could have been if it tasted like it smelt. Relatively light given the style and the aging process, but super smooth in all respects. I sampled this 65 cL bottle purchased from BevMo in San Bruno, California on 05-March-2012 for US$9.99 sampled at home in Washington on 19-June-2013.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Sample at a weekly bottle sharing event at Red House BBQ in Tehachapi, CA on 02/02/2013. The beer pours a mostly clear reddish-brown color with a medium tan head that dissipates steadily to an outer ring. Stringy lacing on the glass. Aroma of chocolate malt, dark fruit and vanilla. Medium to full body with flavors of caramel malt, ripe fruit, chocolate and subtle brandy. The finish is dark malts and brandy. Pretty good all around.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Tasted at the Annual Black Friday tasting where it pours up murky mahogany with a tan head of foam. The aroma is sweet and candy like with vanilla, sweet malts, sweet dates, figs and then some toffee for good measure. The taste is yummy with molasses and vanilla mixing with prunes and dates and sugary smooth booziness. This is nice stuff. If you like ‘em sweet then this is for you.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle. Pours a slightly hazy dark amber brown color with a small off-white head. Has a slightly roasted malty fruity woody aroma with hints of brandy. Roasted malty woody brandy flavor with some weak sourish hints. Has a fruity malty woody brandy finish.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Bomber from BevMo Salinas. Nose is brandy, oak, and fig newtons. Murky brown with a small, lightly lacing beige head. Flavor is fruity, yeast, and light spices with a bit of caramel malt.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5
Bottle thanks to someone at the Boise gathering. I was getting pretty smashed by this point, and I remember chugging some of this. Pours a murky brown/red color. A sweet nose of hot brandy and nutty malts. The flavor is a sweet dry Brandy bite with mellow sweet candy and malts. Good. Not hot.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8
Bottle at the Funky 8, Brooklyn, NYC. It’s a big, sweet beer, rife with chocolate and vanilla character. There are also lots of dark, overripe fruits in here as well - figs, dates, fruits of that ilk. Full bodied with fine carbonation. Rich and sweet on the finish, more cocoa, light roast and sugary fruits. Pretty nice.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle. Pours dark with thick off white head. Wonderful fruity aroma, cherries, plum and malt. Full bodied with chocolate and vanilla notes. A little brandy in the finish. Well worth seeking out.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Draft at Churchkey. Poured a brown color with a small off-white tan head. Aroma was dark fruits, alcohol is present, but not overwhelming. Fruit with a touch of honey. Plenty of vanilla found in the aroma and flavor.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Bottle thanks to bu11zeye. Pours with a fading tan head over a hazy copper to bronze hued body with low clarity. Aromas are nutty, dark fruits, molasses, vanillin and a lot of barrel. Dark fruits, vinous, dates, fudgy, chocolate, chewy. Flavors are sweet, vanillin, barrel, dark fruit, plums, cotton candy and brandy. Very fruity, medium brown sugar. Big. Lively bubbles, dry and boozy finish. Pretty tasty.