I've been neglecting the Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery again, much to my shame. Missed out on the Fresh Hop Ale again, this year. Didn't stop in at all during Anniversary week. But I brought some empty growlers down the other day, and was glad to get one of the 15th Anniversary IPA, which we'll get to soon. The other growler was the Belgian-style Grand Cru, which goes down far too easily. Here are notes from February, 2004, right around when it was first released:
I first sampled this several weeks ago at the Winterfest in St. Paul and found it to be the hit of the evening. Now it's on tap at the pub, finally, and I can check it's progress from a fresh growler, and so I shall...
Appearance: solid orange color, with a lively, fresh, bubbling froth above, very attractive.
Aroma: Wow! This is the stuff! Fruity, alcoholic, with an utterly ethereal quality I associate with the likes of Abbaye des Rocs or Delirium Noel. Spicy, yes, and loaded with dark fruits, grapes, cherries,.plums, elevated by a sublime, otherworldy somethin' else! Yeast is predominant and contributes to this atmospheric effect.
So, taste already! Don't mind if I do...Mmmm! Flavor rides high in this one, spicy, solid, sure, becoming a magical blend of malt, fruitiness, spice, hops, and all things nice and good. Alcoholic content lends a certain whisky-ish tone to the taste. All in all, deli
cious.
This is a marvelous nightcap, an excellent guard against this ridiculous February chill, just the thing to wrap around me before I surrender to slumber.
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