North Coast Brewing Company Grand Cru

Grand Cru

 

North Coast Brewing Company in Fort Bragg, California, United States 🇺🇸

  Strong Ale Rotating Out of Production
Score
7.20
ABV: 12.9% IBU: - Ticks: 70
Ale Brewed with Agave Nectar and Aged in Bourbon Barrels

Originally released as Twentieth Anniversary Ale in 2009 and then re-released in 2011 and again in 2013 for North Coast's 25th Anniversary.
 

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7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

This comes to me in a 500 ml bottle obtained in south Ft. Worth early in the fall from a local HEB. I lift the cork and pour into my ABGB tulip glass seeing an opaque dark gold body. The head is non-existent but there is a healthy stream of carbonation. Getting a smell I detect peach, mango, grain and hay. Tilting for a drink. Hmm. Initially quite sweet with peach, caramel, hard candy. There is also some yeastiness and a flowery touch. Not exactly what I prefer in American ale, but appreciated for the try. The alcohol makes itself known at the end with a nice little burn. The label says 12.9%. Actually the experience improves as the beer warms. My horizons are expanded.

Tried from Bottle on 28 Dec 2017 at 17:37


7.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Bottke, shared at Beer Temple, thanks Henk! Hazy orange color. Off white head, quickly receding. Aroma’s: bourbon, fruit, alcohol. Retronasal there’s soft fruit, berries, sourish, alcohol, bourbon, light wood, vanilla. Flavor is above moderate sweet with some fruity sourness. Strong alcohol feel. Almost full bodied. Long woody finish.

Tried on 29 May 2017 at 16:38


6.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5

Bottle as North Coast Grand Cru, gusher on opening. Pours quite hazy peach, surprisingly small head, beige with little residual beyond a ring and some lacing. Aroma is sweet, honey, some belgian spice. Flavor is quite sweet, light bitter, hot, honey, agave I guess with some oak tannins and Belgian style spices, coriander, cloves. Medium body, soft carbonation, quite hot throughout with a sweet lingering finish along with some herbal notes.

Tried from Bottle on 12 Aug 2015 at 22:59



7.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

The pour is a light golden color with some haze. The aroma is light and citrus with some of the booziness coming through. The agave comes through together with nice fruity notes, vanilla and sugar. Quite easy for the abv.

Tried on 21 Jun 2015 at 16:34


8.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Flaska från SB. 2013 vintage. Smak och doft av torkad frukt, äpple, persika, röda bär med toner av trä, bourbonfat och vanij. Agavesötma, fruktig, fin syrlighet, komplexa smaker som sammanflätas på ett angenämt sätt. Lättsam att dricka trots sina 12%. Bästa ölet denna kväll.

Tried on 15 Mar 2015 at 15:21


8.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 8.5

Flaska från SB. 2013 vintage. Söt, fruktig och med en lite fin syrlighet som ger ölen en lätthet som är ovanlig för en 12%s fatlagrad pjäs. Lätt borbountouch, stora komplexa maltig smaker med vanilj, fat, torkad frukt, lite kokos och en fin fruktighet med lite persika och röda bär. Fantastiskt gott.

Tried on 13 Mar 2015 at 06:59


7.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

Draft at Churchkey. Hazy golden yellow color, medium white head. Aroma of vanilla, summer fruit, light dust. Taste is lightly funky summer fruit. Nice.

Tried from Draft on 23 Dec 2014 at 08:24


7.2
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

16.9 oz. bottle shared 5 ways and labeled as Grand Cru with a an ABV of 12.9 %. Pale yellow color light thin head in the snifter. Aroma is honey, agave, mild oak and a weak pear or apple note.

The flavor is nice and pretty much identical to the aroma. A larger dose of sugar and yeast hints in the flavor. The ABV is covered nicely but mostly from the sweet, sugary flavors. Overall this is a nice drink and the flavor is pretty interesting.

Tried from Bottle on 19 Sep 2014 at 23:34


6.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Bottle at Craig’s. Massive gusher! Pours hazy gold, with thin white a head. Aromas of marzipan, light sugar. Taste is sweet, something green, must be the agave. Odd.

Tried from Bottle on 12 Sep 2014 at 14:59