Engelszell Gregorius Trappistenbier
I like Belgian beer, or Belgian-style beer for that matter, so whenever I see something from this realm that I haven’t had before, there’s a good chance a purchase is going to be made. That said, I’m also quite skeptical of those that label themselves with words like “trappist” or in the case of this 9.7% ABV beer, “Trappistenbier.” Many breweries throw the nomenclature about in order to draw in sales.
Gregorius is brewed by Stift Engelszell out of Austria and it actually qualifies as a Trappist brewery. Phew. It’s nice to know I didn’t get suckered in by some marketing scheme.
Unfortunately, the beer isn’t good. I’m not sure if something occurred on its journey to Virginia, but there was something just not right about it. The flavors weren’t off really and there didn’t seem to be any overt signs of spoilage, but there was a ton of sediment clouding the pour.
Appearance
A creamy, light brown cap of foam sits atop the dark mahogany colored brew as chunks of sediment floated aimlessly about.
Aroma
Roast malt, burnt caramel, lots of yeast, an earthy character, honey, hints of dark fruit and brown sugar all fill the nose. The aroma doesn’t let on to any issues with the beer.
Taste
Well, I definitely get a mouthful of yeast sediment and honey as roasted malt and a wash of alcohol arrive quickly. This is a hot beer. It feels messy and loose like it doesn’t know what it wants to do. There are hints of dark fruits, but for the most part it’s all alcohol and a moderate sweetness — oh, and yeast, lots of yeast.
Overall
Once I had found out that I had a legitimate Trappist product in hand, I was quite excited to see what these guys could produce. I realize that just because they have the label, doesn’t mean they can brew quality beer. I can only hope that the boozy mess I encountered with this bottle of Gregorius was an anomaly and that something when awry in the process of it arriving in my glass.
This bottle also wasn’t particularly old. Having been bottled on 06/2013, it should have managed that time period without issue. Ah, well. Maybe I’ll pick up another bottle in the future.
Rating: 2/5
