A Previously Unknown Chimay

A couple months ago, one of my interns told me she had found a bottle of Belgian beer I’d never tried before. However, when she said it was a Chimay, I laughed, thinking I’d tasted everything that Trappist brewery had to offer.

But she’s laughing now.

I should learn: every time I pretend to know something about Belgian beer, I end up getting whacked with a new lesson in humility.

True, I’ve tried a number of different Chimay ales, including Chimay Red, Chimay Blue, Chimay White, and a variety of Chimay Grande Réserve bottles of varying ages.

But I’ve never had Chimay with a brown label...

I’d never seen it anywhere before, and apparently -- if you don't have a clever intern like I do -- you can only get it at the brewery itself. I'm not even sure what to call it. After a little hunting around the web, I see something called “Chimay Dorée”, and that may be this, though it has a very different label from the one on my table.

Anyway, mild embarrassment and name issues aside, what does it taste like?

It pours a medium blonde and has a flowery aroma. The flavour also has some floral notes hovering over a thin mouthfeel. The finish is perfectly crisp with no residual sweetness. 4.8% alcohol. It would be great with fatty foods like cheese or chips (US: thick French fries).

In all, it’s nothing to laugh at. In fact, It’s very good.

I only wish I could get my hands on some more...