NO SEX BUT THE BEER’S GOOD! (Chimay "Blue")

Member Name: Mauri

Product:	Chimay "Blue"
Date:	13/02/02 (235 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great taste

Disadvantages: availability

‘Sex and drugs and rock n roll that’s all my brain and body needs’… that was Ian Dury’s feeling anyway, but what do you do if you’re a Monk! SEX…I don’t think so. Rock and Roll…more like Gregorian chants! Drugs… well alcohol/beer is a drug so you might as well the best of it and that is exactly what the Trappist monks do best.

WHAT IS A TRAPPIST MONK AND WHY DOES HE MAKE BEER?

There are six existing monasteries that still brew beer and sell it to the public. Chimay is probably the most famous and I think makes some of the finest bottled ale you can find.

In the Middle Ages monasteries were found throughout Europe and were concrete symbols of the power of the church. Along with the nobility the church were extensive landowners. At this time land meant power and the church set about building monasteries all over mainland Europe. These monasteries were supposed to be self-sufficient and as well as cultivated land they included bakeries, tanneries, workshops and space to put up travellers.

At this time water was considered unsafe to drink and due to very unhygienic practises it often was. An alternative to water was beer that because of its alcohol content was safe from organisms that led to disease. Breweries existed on the manorial estates and many farmers brewed their own ale but the best beer was to be found in the monastic breweries. The monks who were in some ways the first scientists became very knowledgeable in the brewing techniques produced some quality ales that became much sought after.

The story of Chimay begins not in Belgium but in France with the formation of the order of Cistercians monks. The order was founded in the 12th century, in Citeaux, Burgundy, which is where they derive their name. The monks are committed to follow the teachings of St Benoit who lived in the 6th century. Cistercians split in to two ‘Great Orders’. The stricter
of the two was based in the Abbey of La Grande Trappe, in l'Orne Normandy. Here in 17th century the Abbott Armand de Rancé introduced a famous reform and founded the Cistercian Order of Strict Observance. These monks are commonly known as ‘Trappists’.

This order is very strict taking a vow of celibacy and renouncing all worldly possessions. Traditionally their lives are employed helping the poor and farming the land attached to their monasteries, making cheese and of course beer. In 1850 an abbey was established at Scourmont close to Chimay. The location was not ideal since the land had lain barren and was not thought suitable to be farmed. The monks however succeeded in growing crops and keeping cattle. They started making cheese and a brewery was set up. The monk’s efforts were so successful that eventually the Abbey and its small cottage industry became the largest employer in the region. Over time the monks delegated the running of the brewery to a sub company S.A. Bières de Chimay but the traditional approach and the attention to quality is still maintained. The beer is still brewed on site at the abbey were the monks can oversee the whole of the process.

HOW IS IT MADE?

The Chimay Brewery makes three famous beers, Chimay Red, Triple and Blue. In this opinion I will concentrate on Chimay Blue.

As in any beer the alcohol is obtained from the fermentation an extract of sprouting barley, which is then seasoned with hops to create the flavour. The added yeast produces the alcohol and the carbon dioxide from the sugar present. The careful balance between alcohol content, hops and gas give the beer it distinctive qualities.

Locally grown barley is germinated so it can be used to brew with. Inside the barley enzymes are produced that will eventually convert the starch present in to malt. The next stage takes place in the brewing hall where the malt is mixed with the brewing water collected from the tw
o wells on the abbey grounds. The resulting mixture the mash is heated in stages. This allows the enzymes to break down the starch into fermentable sugar.

After the heating stage, the liquid is passes through a filter-press. This separates the draff (solid component) from the wort (the liquid component). The draff consisting mainly of grain husks and insoluble residue makes excellent cattle feed and is used by local dairy farmers.

The clear wort is now boiled and at this stage the hops are added to provide flavour. Some of the hops are added at the start and some at the end of the process in order to balance out the bitterness of the taste and the sweetness of the aroma. The hot wort is centrifuged to remove any remaining particles. The sterile boiled extract is then pumped to the fermentation vessel after it is cooled.

The fermentation process is triggered by a pure yeast culture, which converts the sugar in to alcohol and carbon dioxide. The yeast is crucial to the making of the beer. In the case of Chimay Blue, Ale yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Carlsbergensis is used. The exact strain used was originally selected by Father Theodore in 1948. He selected the yeast and then cultivated it, and proceeded to make trial micro-brews to obtain the strain that produced the flavour and brewing profile he wanted. In the making of Chimay the yeast is used at a temperature of between 18 and 32C and after the process the yeast floats to the top of the beer thus Chimay Blue is known as a top fermenting beer.

After fermentation the beer is transferred to maturation vats and stored at 0C. The cold makes the beer cloudy and it is necessary to centrifuge the beer before filtration and bottling. Dark glass bottles are used to prevent oxidation.

In the case of Chimay Blue a secondary fermentation is required to take place in the bottles so sugar and fresh yeast are then added just before bottling. At this stage the beer develops fu
rther its fine aroma and its alcoholic strength. No additives or preservatives are added and the beer.

THE TASTE AND HOW TO DRINK IT

Chimay Blue is a strong beer having an alcohol by volume of 9%. It is sold in 75cl bottles with the label Grande Réserve.

Obviously with a beer this strong the character of the beer is defined by alcohol content, but in the case of Chimay, not as much as you would think. It is a dark brown in appearance and has a subdued yeasty/fruity aroma. It is not very gassy and after the initial pouring the creamy head will shrink to a thin layer just above the top of the beer. The subtlety of the beer’s aroma is perfectly complemented by the richness of its taste. The main assault on the taste buds is from the roasted malt but take another sip and you will discover many other subtle tastes battling for prominence. I always think that has the beer warms up in the glass a slight taste caramel is revealed, along with more obvious malty, toasted flavours. Even a hint of chocolate can be found, if you look hard enough!

As with all Belgian bottled beers the drinking is not merely a case of pouring and gulping down. A ritual of sorts has to be followed. The Chimay should be stored upright in a cool dark place and must be allowed to settle for at least an hour before pouring. For the best taste the beer must be drunk at between 6C to 10C. Preferably the traditional Chimay Glass should be used. This is a thick walled glass on a thick stalk with a wide bowl. The design is not just for appearance. The thickness of the glass allows the beers to keep cooler for longer and the stalk allows you to pick the glass up without holding the bowl again to prevent premature heating of the contents. The wideness of the bowl allows the drinker to get a full smell of the beer before the first sip.

Since Chimay Blue is second fermented in the bottle it will have a yeast residue thus the beer should be poured tilting t
he glass at an angle of about 45 degrees so that it pours in at the side of the glass and then runs slowly to the bottom without being agitated. The beer must not be poured quickly otherwise the yeast sediment at the bottom of the bottle will become mixed in and cloud the contents. A small volume of liquid and sediment ~1cm should be left in the bottle after pouring. If poured correctly the beer should be a clear dark brown, a shade darker than most English ales, with a thick, creamy froth on top. The design of the glass also allows you to fit the froth comfortably within its volume.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Chimay is well known throughout the world and the availability in the UK is very good. You can find it on sale in many supermarkets and off licences as well as some better pubs. It is not that expensive considering the quality usually about £1.60/bottle in the shops and £2.50/bottle in pubs.

On first tasting Chimay Blue you might think that the alcohol content label is wrong. The beer is not overly gassy and goes down quite smoothly without the acidic aftertaste that accompanies most strong ales, don’t be fooled this beer has a kick! It is easy to drink but after a few bottles, don’t try to stand up too quickly and make sure you’ve order a taxi home- walking long distances is not advisable.
Overall this is an exceptional beer, the care and expertise, which is used in the making is clearly evident on tasting and it is rightly considered one of the best bottled beers in the world. Not good enough to become celibate for but after too much of this you might not have any choice in the matter.


Thanks for reading and rating this opinion.

© Mauri 2002

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