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Message |
    
Richard Nye
Intermediate Member
Username: Yeasty_boy
Post Number: 279
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 12:08 am: | 
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Yesterday, before the World Series, I opened a bottle of Chimay Grande Reserve (blue label) and a bottle of my Chimay clone recipe from Beer Captured by Tess and Mark Szamatulski. Thought you'd be interested in the comparison.
My clone was brewed in March, 2004, bottled in May. Both beers were around 55F.
Head:
The clone had a little more head than the Chimay. I used just a tad more priming sugar. Next time I'll follow the recipe. The head of the clone lasted longer than the Chimay. Both were the same color. The clone's head had smaller bubbles, more creamy.
Color:
Identical. You couldn't tell the beers apart in either color or clarity. I was amazed at this.
Aroma:
The clone had a slightly stronger aroma than the Chimay. There was more of a caramel aroma with a little hint of alcohol. The Chimay had a very faint aroma with less caramel and no alcohol.
Taste:
Both beers were highly efforvescent. They filled my mouth with bubbles, like champagne. The clone had a more distinct flavor where the Chimay was velvety smooth with no outstanding flavors. The clone was more spicy with a little burnt caramel flavor. The clone also had a hotness from the alcohol that the Chimay lacked. The Chimay had more of a mellow, complex flavor with a little plumb/raisin coming through.
F.G.:
Chimay - 1.008, Clone - 1.007. These FGs seem low, but I used a very accurate hydrometer and did my best to get the CO2 out of solution.
Conclusion:
The clone was very close in nearly every aspect to the Chimay. I don't know how old the Chimay was, but I think the clone will approach it even closer as time goes on. I would recommend the recipe if you can let it age a year or two. |
Ed Doell
New Member
Username: Eddy
Post Number: 4
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 - 11:59 am: |
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Thanks for the input Richard. I've been meaning to try this recipe out of Beer Captured but haven't gotten around to it, I think it's time. |
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Brews and Views Archive 2004 
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