Chimay Blue

Chimay Blue is produced in a Trappist monastery near Chimay and the monks also brew several other varieties including Chimay Red and Chimay Triple. All the so called Trappist beers are exceptional,of very high quality and very much are premium beers.These beers are top-fermented with a secondary bottle fermentation.

The Chimay beers are sold in 75 c corked bottles and have a nice label indicating Grand Reserve. They are very strong,decepively ,so I might add, and weigh in on the alcohol by volume (ABV) scales at a whopping 9 %.You have been warned !

Chimay is the best known and biggest Trappist monastery selling beers.It is brewed at Scourmount Abbey in southern Belgium.

Pop the cork from a bottle of Chimay Blue and what can you expect ? Well first of all you should serve it in a special Chimay glass, like a wine goblet, so it is able to cool and breathe. Its a frothy beer with subdued yeasty,fruity aroma with a bit of bitterness that comes from hops. It is very complex,and pours to a creamy head.

Down a glass and you will find this is a most interesting and deceptive offering. Arguably this beer-fine though it is - is not ideal for the ",,,virgin..": beer drinker. As mentioned previously this is not a lightweight but a beer with a 9% alcohol by volume content.It is a silky beer and matures with age, I first came across it when visiting Belgium and it is enormously popular in that country,understandably so.

Although it is not so widespread in the UK,you will be able to find Chimay beers in quite a lot of the off licences up and down the country and some of the major supermarkets give this great beer shelf space. A fewer number of pubs stock it but search diligently and you will come across some pubs where you quaff Chimay beer.

Chimay is darkish brown in colour and is best drunk when it is slightly warm. Many old time beer drinkers soon become enraptured by this magnificent beer after trying it onc or twice. Mind you it does not come cheap - expect to pay Stg 1.60 per bottle in your local off licence or supermarket and,of course,more in those pubs that do stock it.However, this is truly an outstanding beer and a fine example of the so called Trappist beers.

It is a good accompaniment,in my vew,to the likes of Roast Lamb and Roast Beef and also accompanies a hearty Stew or Casserole well. It also makes a first rate aperitif with Cheese.

Thanks for reading !