Bières de Chimay Chimay Red
What the brewers say
“Top-fermented Trappist beer has a coppery color topped with a creamy head. A light, fruity apricot aroma and a balanced flavor. Silky mouthfeel and a light touch of bitterness and a pleasant astringency. Bottle-conditioned.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Moderate fruit esters of plums, apricots, and figs with medium sweet- ness from banana notes. Light spicy notes, perhaps cloves. No alcohol or hops jump out. Earthy or musty notes sit atop a bit of melanoidin malt character.”
Flavor: “Moderate sweetness up front with notes of honey or light molasses, which extend into the aftertaste with notes of banana and a little plum. Nice dried apricot flavor. Light bitterness in the background. Medium carbonation with a moderate body and a slight alco- hol note toward the end that is complementary. The bitterness-to-sweetness balance is spot on.”
Overall: “Moderate amount of sweetness with notes of honey and banana. Good esters balance with an appropriate alcohol level. Very tasty and refreshing. Fruity and malty with a dry finish. Well balanced and subtle.”
