Chimay Cinq Cents: Heaven Cent
Nov 17 '00 (Updated Nov 19 '00)
Does anyone one else ever rank things in their minds, just for the heck of it? You know, force yourself to make choices between things that in reality you would never have to choose between. For example, would you rather have a million dollars or meet the guy/girl of your dreams tomorrow. Or would you rather lose twenty pounds or gain 5 IQ points? Or would you rather be hit in the face with a baseball bat or have your hand lopped off by a chainsaw? These question are a delight to me, since I enjoy listing and ranking everything. I can't stand it when I ask some one what their favorite book/movie/color/sport/ect is and they blubber, "Uhh, I like a lot of stuff, you know, I just can't choose." That drives me crazy, but on the flipside, some people are driven crazy by that sort of question, notably my immediate family. "I DON'T KNOW" they scream at me, "I WOULD NEVER HAVE TO CHOOSE! STOP WITH ANNOYING QUESTIONS." That is usually the way my dates end as well.
Well, one "would you rather..." question that I often ask myself utilizes beer. You see, I love beer with the white hot passion of a thousand suns, and that makes for some pretty darn good "would you rather..." fodder. The would you rathers range from the very specific ("Would you rather drink only Celebrator once a week for the rest of your life, or Budweiser any amount you wanted for the rest of you life?" (Answer: Celebrator)), to the more broad, "Would you rather give up beer or auto-erotic stimulation (Answer: uhhh...(blush)). The point here, after I have lost have of my readership due to that meandering trek into my odd mind, is that if great beer is enough to even think of giving up...you know...then maybe you should consider taking it up. Just let that profound statement seep in, and then procede to read about one of the best beers you will ever try, the delicious Chimay Cinq Cents.
Belgium: Where Beer Flows Like Wine
Chimay is another wonderful beer from the amazing heartland of the brewing world, little Belgium, the country best known for fluffy waffles and making trouble in the Congo, and little else. Well, guess what folks, when it comes to beer, Belgium is literally where it's at (dawg). Belgium is a small European country with a population about the size of New York City, but with over a thousand breweries, compared to only a dozen or so in the Big Apple (would I rather have see New York or Belgium wiped from the face of the Earth? Answer: New York, in particular Latrell Sprewell and thebozn.)
There are a stunning variety of beers produced in Belgium, and all the ones I have had have been equisitely delicious. I believe that a month or so of traveling around Beligium, sampling the local beers of various and sundry quaint villages could be my most desired dream, rivaled only by a similar trip to many German hamlets. I am half Belgian and half German by descent, so that could help explain why I am irrestibly drawn to the two great beer capitals of the world.
The most famous of the Belgian beers are the Trappist beers, brewed in still-operational monasteries, using techniques developed many centuries ago. By far the most famous of these monasteries is the one near the town of Chimay, in the Province of Hainaut, Belgium. Chimay is pronounced "she-MAY" as in: "She may or not be pregnant, and I sure as hell had better be the father." Chimay makes three different ales, all suberb. The beer I am reviewing here is their tripple ale (much lighter and drier than the others), famous Chimay Cinq Cents.
The Beer (finally)
Chimay is an ale, that is, made with top fermenting yeast. Like all the Trappist ales, the made completely naturally, using ancient techniques and original recipes. I won't bore you with the intricate details, because frankly I don't know them. I do know that the beer is painstaking and arduous to make, which accounts for its scarcity and price. I paid six clams for my 750ml, champaign-sized bottle, and I counted myself lucky to find it at such a bargain price, since I have seen stores asking nearly twice that amount.
Poured into an open mouthed goblet, (if you like beer and all you have is a beer mug, then get with the program and buy a goblet for heaven's sake) Chimay forms a rocky head which lingers for many minutes before dissipating enough for consumption. The smell is a delight: fresh and fruity, with lively hop notes as well as the distinctive horsey, leathery smell that characterizes Belgian beer. There is also a lot of spice to the smell; all in all, an amazingly complex array of aromas!
The taste mirrored the grandeur of the smell: I was greeted by a super-spritzy mouthfeel that is the result of all natural carbonation, but not so bubbly that I cannot make out flavors, ala Bud. There is a firm maltiness to the beer that is bready and yeasty, complimented perfectly by a rush of quite strong hoppiness in the finish. In the mix is also a ton of spice: pepper, cloves and cinnamon, and many more that I couldn't put a name to. Every sip seemed to unveil a flavor or texture that I hadn't noticed before, and trust me, it took many sips to empty that big bottle.
Chimay is fruity and zesty, all the while boasting a firm bitterness that makes it a wonderful appetizer. Its light-medium body also suits it ideally to that task. After a few minutes, the 8% alcohol content of the brew makes itself known in the form of glowing cheeks and loins.
So..>
The Beverage Tasting Institute calls Chimay Cinq Cents "a pale ale on steriods," and I thought that embodied this beer quite nicely. Image all the flavors of your favorite pale ale made given many more layers of complexity, as well as more zest and flare. This is simply one of the best beers I've ever had, and I give it my highest recommendation. Look for it at a beer/wine supplier that sells import beers: this is the most widely available of the Trappists, so it should be within your reach.
"Would I rather write a decent ending to this review or go drink another glass of Chimay?" Answer: I'll give you one guess...Cheers!
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Epinions.com ID:
Teykaerts
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Member: David Teykaerts
Location: Sacramento, CA
Reviews written: 120
Trusted by: 60 members
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