Chimay Premiere

The Brewers:
"Company:" Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey
Brewing Order:  Cistercian Monks
Location: Route Charlemagne 8, 6464 Baileux, Belgium
Website:  http://www.chimay.com/en/en.html?IDC=27

The Beer:
Style:  Belgian Dubbel
ABV: 7%
Served: 11.2 oz. bottle purchased at Halftime of Poughkeepsie

The Drink:
Drank out of a 12 oz. Ommegang Flute/Pokal

Beer pours deep crimson/brown with some yeast haze.  Two finger off white head that hangs around.  Laces pretty well.

Aromas of heavy malt, caramel, raisin and some nutty/bready character.  There is also a slight presence of fruity yeast esters.

Beer starts with moderate carbonation and a full, sweet malt body.  Middle is thick and sweet with a healthy dose of Belgian caramel/raisin.  Finish is incredibly flavorful and long, with some fruity aromas and more malty sweetness, accompanied by some dryness.  Very full body makes this beer more like a food-item than a beer-item.  

Overall:
As embarrassing as this is, I don't have a whole lot of description for this one, but don't let that deceive you, this is a complex beer.  Beers like this always impress me with a very "rum-raisin" type flavor and a body that makes the beer almost "chewy."  This is one of Belgium's few remaining true Trappist ales, meaning it was made in a genuine Trappist monastery, with the lion's share of the revenue funding the Belgian monk's charitable operations.  This is also Chimay's oldest beer, which has been brewed, in one form or another, since 1862.  This is definitely among the best examples of a traditional Belgian abbey ale around, and required for any beer enthusiasts repertoire.