The Kolonel has been AWOL from posting for the past couple weeks, but now it’s time to offer up another fine selection from the magical monasteries of Belgium. The Abbey of Grimbergen is not one of the certified Trappist monasteries, but these monks nevertheless know how to craft a solid brew. As their label states, they’ve been doing it since the early Middle Ages, which means they either have their act down, or else nobody bothered to tell them their beer sucked. This inspires me to present a brief yet epochal dialogue between some local peasants and a Grimbergen monk:

…Sometime in the mid-13^th century…

Peasant #1: “Hey… you wanna tell those Grimbergen bozos their beer tastes like Count Happablap’s privy?”

Peasant #2: “Naw… let’s keep this going awhile.”

…800 years pass…

Monk: “Dammit, you jerks! Why didn’t anybody tell us our beer has the flavor and mouthfeel of a manure pile???”

Peasant #1’s distant descendant: “We all thought it was kind of funny.”

Monk: “That’s not funny.”

Ahh… theatre. Anyway, at about $9-$10 for a six-pack, Grimbergen Double (6.5% ABV) is a reasonably-priced selection. The label provides a nice description of the history and characteristics of the brew, which is always a nice bit of pre-drankin’ lore to take in. Sets the mood, eh?

The Double pours a rich, dark amber, but does not have the opacity of many similar brews. It’s actually somewhat refreshing to see light sparkling through the effervescent bubbles of such a sturdy concoction. The head is medium body, and dissipates at a normal rate. However, the aroma is fairly faint. One can definitely detect the barley malt, and perhaps a hint of chocolate, but you have to really jam your nose into the glass to find it, which entails the risk of the dreaded… foamy schnoz.

Fortunately, the flavor is much more complex than the aroma. In addition to the typical molasses sweetness and mouthfeel of the double variety, there is definitely a chocolate undertone and a very well-balanced tanginess that makes it more refreshing than other similar offerings. The nice clean finish leaves you ready for another hit.

Overall: quite similar to New Belgium’s Abbey, which costs a buck or two less per six-pack, if you can stand the ignominy of drinking an American (American, b’gosh!) knock-off of the medieval classic. Nevertheless, Grimbergen’s Double is a strong choice if you’re in the mood for a rich, historical Belgian brew that’s not too heavy and not too pricey.

As a footnote: my bad about the blurry picture. By the time I realized it was kinda fuzzy I’d already drank the beer and… well… yeah.