… or Chimay Grande Réserve Fermentée en Barriques – Chêne Français, Chêne Américain, Rhum (02/2021) to give it its full name. Corked & Caged, heavy, 375 mL bottle, with Best Before End of 2026 date.

Good looking dark brown pour with some very good head and lace for a beer of this age and ABV. Looks good.

Nose is sweetish alcohol rather than any liquor, but the tastes quickly change all of that. The rhum is full, round and very strong. It’s warming, and honestly it’s not unpleasant, but I have no interest in this beer over regular Chimay. The rhum here could be sitting on any similar beer, and I simply think this is a waste of a great beer.

The beer finishes quite dry which when one considers the rounder, sweeter start, is a bit of a surprise. Alcohol is present, warming and it builds, but it never feels too big.

My general indifference to barrel aged beer in general, and to barrel-aged Belgians in particular, remains firmly in place.

For me, in the final analysis, Chimay Blue is a perfect vehicle for showcasing the rhum barrels, so in that regards this is a “good” beer, but the kicker is this. For all the soft, subtle warming taste of the rhum and alcohol that is not unpleasant, I simply want my beer to tastes of … well, you know … beer.