Grottenbier

Click for more images

Price: £4.30

Description Its brewed in caves!!! 6.5%abv. "Grotto Beer", partly aged (for one to two months) in limestone caves, and turned weekly like Champagne. The caves are in the Belgian province of Limburg but near the Dutch city of Maastricht. They have a natural, constant, temperature of 12C (53-54F) and 95 per cent moisture. The object is to establish whether this "natural" maturation creates flavors more subtle than can be replicated in drier, refrigerated, cellars at a brewery. This project has been a long-term dream of the ever-inventive Belgian brewer Pierre Celis. The beer is made by the De Smedt brewery, noted for its Affligem range. The Grottenbier is a strong (6.5abv) dark ale, in which small quantities of "exotic" spices are added to create a gentle, balancing dryness and crsipness. The beer has a chestnut colour; a huge, meringue-like head (marron glacé?); and big aromas, reminiscent of dry oloroso sherry. It is dry at the front of the tongue, developing a medium to full body, with many layers of maltiness. Huge flavours, drily toffeeish, honeyish. Resiny, slightly medicinal, extraordinarily long, finish. A very big, deep, complex, after-dinner, beer. This Beer appears to have subtler flavours than ,most dark ales a plethora of spices has been added to the mash, including what tastes like ginger and coriander. The beers are treated like Champagne for two months before being bottled as they are turned on a weekly basis. Grottenbier is rich dark and malty with a medicinal herbal finish one associates with eastern European spirits. 33cl bottle.