Chimay Red (7% ABV)

Goodness me, what a come down.

The Beer Ritz guys tout Chimay's 'standard' house ale as having a copper hue, redcurrant and soft malt on the palate and a dry hop finish.

However, I don't get any of that, dryness aside, perhaps.

First things first: I undoubtedly drank this at above the recommended 10-12 degrees Celsius. I could tell that by the way it exploded all over the kitchen when I took the crown cap off. In directing the beery shower into my glass, I undoubtedly took more yeast into the glass than was my intention.

Normally, I favour a slow pour into the middle of the glass, reserving a mouthful to swill the yeast free with, priming my first taste of the decanted remainder with the yeast to frame the experience. It's a concept a Dutch landlord introduced me to in Maastricht recently, and whilst he was unquestionably a somewhat singular individual (in a dedicated, nice way; Google 'Take One Maastricht' for more on this) I am rather taken with the idea at present, and am riffing on it.

In other words, I'd have been sampling the yeast anyway, and suspect this would have made little difference to my judgment. The divergence in temperature is another matter, however, and I will chill my next bottle rather more judiciously to that which is suggested on the label.

So, copper coloured, yes, but also metallic in taste if this example is anything to go by. Malt, some dryness, not much else to report in terms of nose, taste or finish. Lacking complexity, and surprisingly thin-tasting for a beer of this strength.

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