Grottenbier Flemish Ale (formerly Blond)

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Lee's North location in Henderson, NV
Poured out a monsterous bubbly white cap that sticks everywhere. Dull looking cloudy yellow amber brew. Nice aroma with a soft note of funky brett, marshmallow, orange (some version of one), some heat on the nose, very interesting spice that seems to meld with the sweetness perfectly, maybe dull banana (more obvious when warmer). The taste is pretty much average but the addition of a creeping funk upgrades this. Dull fruit, interesting peppery spice that appears early in the sip, vanishes and then reappears more subdued and tied into the fruitiness. Yeast, the fruit is tropical if anything. Tasty but nothing to die for. Good finish of mild spicy yeast and dryness, especially after my beer has thickened with more and more sediment getting consumed and filtered within my oversized liver. 3.2 does not mean that this is bad by any means, just average in my world. Better than 75% or the beers available though.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Labeled as "Pierre Celis Signature Selection" which I happened to stumble across at an unplanned stop. No idea of this beer's age, but I feel it's sat around long enough to develop a pleasant amount of complexity. To be honest this came across like a big bottle of tamed Orval, fairly funky with a touch of brett, dry and nicely intriguing. Golden, straw color with intense carbonation and a billowing, rocky white head that leaves thick, blanketing lacing. Peppery hops, spicy with funky fruits and must. You can smell the dryness and I swear it is very familiar to a 1 year Orval. Light and dry mouth feel with a mild tartness and a rather hot finish. Fruity peach and orange flavors coupled with honey. Spicy hops, biscuits and cream soda. Earthy with a touch of dried herbs. Tart, sweet and slightly bretty.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 5

had in celebration for Manchester United's glorious VICTORY!! ...is quite spritzy, seems aged- not really in a good way ... musty, dust, honey aroma's ... "the firetrucks will have to wait their turn" .. light hazy yellow-orange .. the mouthfeel makes it quite drinkable, but most will find it thin... not worth the jackson...

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

My friends Aimee and Pete recommended I get this beer. Right out of the gate, I made a horrendous mistake. When it came time to drinking my Grottenbier, I pulled it out of the fridge, poured it up and started to drink it. I have no idea what I was thinking. This stuff tastes horrible when it is cold. I should have known this, but I got excited and rushed it. So after parking it on the end table for about 30 minutes, my Grottenbier was good and ripe for the drinking.

Grottenbier is pretty good stuff when served just below room temperature. It pours out to a very nice, creamy head....even after the beer sat around for a good 30 minutes. The beer has a nice, even golden color. Upon drinking it, you have no clue that you are drinking something that is 7.7% alcohol. You can barely taste the alcohol for that matter. Watch out! This is one of those beers that drinks very smoothly and packs quite the punch. This is a great beer. Check it out if you get a chance.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

Sampled on tap at the First Annual Stone Sour Fest, July 2007
This is topped by a creamy, persistent, though small, light colored head that sits on top of a hazy, gold colored beer. This beer has a very grainy aroma to it; this is made up of notes of fresh crushed grain and a sort of malt room aromatic quality. This has a very subtle sour character to it; it is almost note even there. Hints of orange zest are also noticeable in the aroma.

The taste has notes of lemon zest and a very subtle sourness. The malt is still pronounced, even in the flavor, though it is not quite as much as it is in the aroma. Notes of toasty grain, a distinct biscuit-like note, touches of soda crackers and a light, sweet, maltiness. The beer has a nice, light, creamy mouthfeel to it. The clean malt character is quite interesting (especially in this flight of sour beers), but this only has a hint of funkiness a perhaps a drop of acidity. I’ll definitely have to try this again, as it almost seemed out of place at a sour beer festival.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Bottle courtesy of Bu11zeye: Poured a deep orangey color ale with a nice big foamy head with good retention and some great lacing. Aroma of sweet malt is dominating with a light yeasty note. Taste is also dominated by some quiet sweet malt with light yeasty dry finish. Body is a bit oily and cloying with light alcohol being perceptible and some great carbonation. Definitely lacking complexity and a bit too sweet for my palate but then again I had high expectation from that brewer.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Grotten is extraordinary in it's blonde color and full rich yeasty body which produces a large creamy head. A delightful belgian that has so much of what I expect when I am in the mood for a true Belgian experience. There is a fine blend of vanilla and some esters with surprisingly no alcolhol after taste and just the right ratio of sweetness and spice. I'm pleased in every way that I selected this beer for such a grand occasion. Great Flemish ale!

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

A very underwhelming experience, again, with this brewer or at least Mr. Celis's recipes. Aroma was fruity esthers, some bubble gum and a little soapy. The flavor of the beer was really pedestrian with too much sweetness, not enough bitter or spiciness. Overall, drinkable sure but would I seek it out again for future consumption? Nah.