Abbaye des Rocs Grand Cru

Previously 9%abv

Abbaye des Rocs Grand Cru has a rich, complex fruit aroma of cherries, golden raisins, peaches, and assorted dried fruit, laced with honey and caramel. Smooth, rich flavors reminiscent of cherries dipped in caramel, finishing with notes of dried chocolate, roasted almonds, and a hint of molasses.

1358 reviews

Montignies-sur-Roc, Belgium

Community reviews

3.5 Bought this bottle in 2012. Opened for no special reason during Covid-19 quarantine in 2020. Pour is reddish brown with a creamy tan, an very persistent head. Aromas of burnt nut and oranges. On the pallet there is distinct caramel and brown sugar. The 10% ABV is well integrated and the finish is crisp and slightly sweet. Daughter(15) notices a definitive orange aroma. She thinks it smells lovely, but her description of the taste is not so complimentary. She describes it as tasting like bug spray.

4.1 Belgoklubben vår-20. Fantastisk öl, mörk men inget bitter. Stark men mild och god smak!

3.9 Flaska från Belgoklubben. Mörkt bärnstensfärgad med beige skum. Fruktig och mustig smak och doft.

3.9 Mörkt röd, disig. Doften domineras av bränd malt. Smaken följer, med fikon o dadlar. Måttlig sötma fint balanserad av avslutande beska.

3.6 Het bier heet 'complex' te zijn, maar deze complexiteit leidt tot een wat vlakke smaak waarbij vooral de alcohol aanwezig is.

3.8 Copenhagen 20/5 2017. 75 cl bottle from "Den Gamle Købmand". They call it a "Belgian Special Brown ale" on the label. Pours hazy red tinged brown with off white head. Disappears fairly fast leaving thin rim of foam along the side of the glass. No lacing. Aroma is intense and rich. Sweet dark fermented fruit meets hard edged alcohol. Sweet honey, black berry alcohol and sugary notes. Medium carbonation and medium thick texture. Flavor is heavy sweet followed by spicy and burnt bitterness. Aftertaste is sweet and alcoholic. A heavy hard hitting Dark Belgian orgy of fruit and alcohol. Almost a Barley Wine.

3.4 330ml bottle. Cloudy, dark amber-ish, brown colou rwith small to average, firm, frothy, moderately lasting, minimally lacing, off-white to beige head. Toasty malty, yeasty spicy and yeasty fruity aroma, notes of dried fruit, yellow stone fruit, raisin, plum, fig, date, apricot, pear, a touch of white pepper and aniseed, some marmite. Taste is minimally sweet toasty malty, slightly dry, yeasty fruity and yeasty spicy, hints of marmite, dried fruit, raisin, plum, fig, date; minimally warming, alcoholic finish.

4.0 33cl bottle from Beerwulf webshop. F: thin, tanned, quick gone to thin film. C: dark brown, coppery hue against the light, hazy. A: rich malty, chocolate, cocoa, dark dried fruits, plums, raisins, nutty, bit spicy. T: full malty base, chocolate, herbal-spicy, mellow dark fruits, dried plums, bit red wine, caramel, nutty, molasses, bit yeasty, soft carbonation, very nice even if it lacks some “wau factor” for me.

3.0 Toń mętna z farfoclami, brązowo-bordowa. Piana wylatuje z butelki, po nalaniu skąpa. Aromat metalu, czekolady, cukru trzcinowego, suszonych owoców. Ciało półpełne, bardzo wysoko nasycone. Pęcznieje w ustach. W smaku czekolada, suszone owoce, palony karmel, bukiew, drewno. Goryczka średnia. Bardzo metaliczny aromat i przegazowanie dużo ujmują temu piwu. Szkoda, bo jest złożone i smaczne.

4.0 Hazy brown color with tanned head. Aroma has caramel, ripe fruits, nuts. Taste is malty sweet with long bitter and quite dry aftertaste. Flavors of ripe fruits, caramel, malt and earthy notes.

3.9 Color marrón rojizo oscuro, turbia, con residuos, translúcida. Espuma marfil de apenas un dedo de espesor pero buena retención. Aroma vinoso, suave vinagre, regaliz, al atemperar se atenúa el vinagre y aparecen frutos secos, sobre todo almendras, maltas tostadas, ligeras especias y miel. Sabor vinoso, madera, regaliz y especias, final ligeramente alcohólico. Textura acuosa y oleosa. Carbonatación media baja.

3.3 Mała butelka. No i właśnie - piwo ocenione bardzo wysoko, a dla mnie mdłe, nie do konca ciekawe. Czuję, że klasyk, ale wolę z fajerwerkami jednak.

3.7 Marrone scuro riflessi ramati schiuma beige fine e persistente.aroma complesso, caramello zucchero di canna marzapane chinotto burro fuso pera candita e vaniglia. Non molto inteso. Gusto dolce abboccato piacevolmente amaro dopo l'ingresso. Leggera tostatura, cacao in polvere, agrunato, scorza d'agrume candita, speziato di vaniglia. Calda corpo medio/ debole per lo stile, carbonatazione debole.equilibrata ed armonica.

3.5 Bottle from Hopt. Aroma is brown and dark malt with caramel, candy sugar, yeast, spices, dried red fruits, raisins, cognac, hint of cola and liquorice root. Flavour is big candysugar sweetness, body is just a little above medium. Very sweet and sugary, not as good as the "Brune" for me.

4.1 75cl Bottle @ Belgiuminabox.com, Antwerpen, Belgium. Brown colour with a thin tan head. Aroma is malt, dried fruits, slightly spicy. Taste is malt, caramel, raisins, toffee, alcohol, slightly spicy, hints of cherries. Medium to full body, average carbonation.

4.2 Great happiness with Abbaye des Rocs previously, I have held Grand Cru back until now. I got the 11.2 fl oz bottle from some nice people in Belgium that delivered, in all ways. I’m using my ABGB snifter for this sampling because it is my choice. Yep. I pour firmly and down the center, a nice caramel colored body and a strong tawny brown head that settles. The scent, inviting as I hoped, dates, cut hay and cane sugar. But the taste tops all of it. I find toffee, wheat bread, alfalfa (like I ever eat that), light syrup and just a bit of grape, where did that come from? Not my favorite dark ale but I am pleased.

3.4 Deep orange-brown, small off-white head. Hot fruity aroma, of brown sugar, orange, raisins... taste follows, with dates, figs, spices... to be honest not quite what I expected. Quite a bit thinner than expected, with associated drop in flavor profile. Not bad by any means though.

3.7 Bottle (1 pint 9.4 oz). Pours dark brown with tan head. Nose of raisins, a bit of cherry, and a slight roasted malt note. Rich raisin flavor with some toffee and a slight roasted malt note. Medium body and finish.

4.8 Lors de ma critique de la veille, je m'étais interrogé sur l'affichage de la mention Grand Cru sur les étiquettes de certaines bouteilles qui galvaudent quelque peu le terme. Le moins que l'on puisse dire, c'est que l'abbaye des rocs l'utilise ici à bon escient. Il est vrai qu'ils pourraient même se permettre d'allier le terme à plusieurs de leurs crus... Ce qui est remarquable sur celle-ci, c'est son équilibre exceptionnel avec notamment un alcool à 9,5 % aux accents de whisky qui est la ligne directrice de la bière, parfaitement intégré, donnant de la puissance sans être agressif, chaleureux sans cannibaliser les autres arômes, de la bonne maîtrise de la puissance à l'instar d'une Bons Vœux. Un véritable plaisir. D'un brun limpide, surmonté d'une mousse beige de 5 mm et parcourue par une multitude de petites bulles, le visuel est efficace. Toujours à noter cette matière en suspension, marque de fabrique de la brasserie. Le nez nous amène dans la lignée des grandes bières d'abbaye belges : caramel, chocolat, prune, pomme, poire, de légères épices et cet alcool à la fois chaleureux et puissant sur des airs de whisky. Cet alcool va aller crescendo lors de la dégustation. Piano à l'attaque, on y retrouve toutefois ce bel équilibre avec des épices plus présentes. L'alcool s'affirme en seconde bouche, avec une prise en bouche augmentant, bonne, sans être exceptionnelle pour autant. L'arrière bouche, plus amère permet un beau contraste. Le final, long, est en 3 temps, le premier avec un bel élancement sur l'amertume qui laisse ensuite la place à l'alcool puissant, lui-même renforcé en toute fin par les épices qui redonnent du peps à l'ensemble. Un vrai Grand Cru.

4.0 Draft at Tria Taproom. Foggy dark chestnut brown pour with soft ivory foam. Silky complex caramel malts but not overly sweet or syrupy. Not much nose when cold. Tastes of toffee, chocolate, carob, molasses, date, prune, raisin, vanilla, and Cognac infused fruitcake. Warms to fainter notes of leather, tobacco, and truffle. Excellent winter sipper!

4.1 Muddy brown pour with a thin layer of a tan head. Aroma of burnt sugar, toffee, fudge, dried tropical fruits, forest fruits, caramel, roasted malts and vinous notes. Medium bitter sweet with a hidden acidity. Almost full bodied with medium carbonation. Lives up to everything that's been said and written about it. Go and find it!!

4.3 Hazy amber ale with moderate ivory-coloured head. Floating yeast particles. Aroma: big beautiful fruity esters, apricot, pear, candy, caramel, toffee, light spicy yeast. Medium to full body. Tasty: medium dry. Special malts, candy, fruit, spicy notes, hops. Light bitterness. Warming alcohol. A beer of great quality and balance

4.2 Bottle from Willems, pours slightly milky, dark amber brown, short-lived brownish head. Aroma: candi sugar, light alcohol, a little spicy, anise. Taste: candi sugar, tasty yeast, fruity indeed, noticeable hops. Decent MF but for my taste carbonation a little too lively. Not too overwhelming but good richness and taste, well made too so no complaints there.

4.3 Bottle from LCBO. Pours a clear deep amber colour with a small white head that reduces into a film that lingers. Aromas of roasted malts, toffee, and some bourbon. Taste matches the aroma with some woody notes and a well balanced finish. Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

3.7 0.75l bottle. Raisin body, small beige head. The aroma has raisins and cognac. The taste is earthy with a nice finish of cherry and oak.

3.9 Mocne wysycenie, wylecialo troche z butelki po otwarciu W aromacie melasa, fenole, przyprawy, drozdze, nuty melanoidynowe. Metne, z lekkim osadem drozdzowym. Mocna podbudowa slodowa, intensywnie, przyprawowo, gozdzikowo, melasa, rozpuszczony karmel, troche chleb razowy, wisnia, kandyzowane owoce. Finisz klasycznie belgijski, alkoholowy, fenolowy, rozgrzewajacy, trwajacy i przyjemny. Spoko, ale nic nadzwyczajnego

3.8 W zapachu słody, jarzębina, ciemne owoce, rodzynki, trochę karmelu, alkohol lekko gryzie w nosie. Piwo mętne, z drożdżowym osadem. Po otworzeniu piwo się wzburzyło i ulało z butelki. Barwa rubinowo-brunatna. W smaku ciemne owoce, dużo słodu, goździki. Spore nasycenie. Zostawia dziwny kwaśno-gorzki posmak na języku.

4.0 33cl flesje via Beerwulf.com Alcoholpercentage van 9,5% Uitgeschonken in St. Bernardus glas Uiterlijk: donkerbruin met goede dekkende witte schuimkraag Aroma en smaak: neus is citrus, caramel, smaak is caramel, licht gebrande mouten, bruine suiker, zoet, redelijk wat koolzuur Conclusie: lekkere volle grand cru

4.0 Sumptuous Belgian strong dark ale, pours from the bottle with lively carbonation, dark red brown with a decent retaining head. Sweet dark malts, caramel and complex flavours. One to sip and enjoy.

4.5 (cash, impossible de noter, pot de départ, à restester évidemment parce que c’est une bière qui est splendide)