Beer 60: Val Dieu Grand Cru

Gary and I have a plan to visit all fifty states. The original goal was to run a half marathon in all fifty states but then I quit running and really threw a wrench in the plans. So we are back to just visiting, which means we have to spend quality time in a state, perhaps having a meal or visiting a museum and definitely more than just sitting in an airport during a layover or driving through the state without stopping. Evidently we like rules.

I wanted a visual record to log our progress toward this goal and finally after searching for a ridiculously long time, I found this map. How excited am I, right?!? This is perfect. I found a canvas to adhere it to and every time we cross off another state, up on the map it goes. It will look a little wonky at the start with most of the east coast stuck to the canvas, a giant chunk of the midwest missing and a few western states represented. I hope it becomes a fun conversation piece.

So I order the map and wait patiently for its arrival. A few days ago, Gary calls to tell me that the map has been delivered and proceeds to open it while we talk on the phone. The following conversation ensues:

Me: Hurry up. I can't wait to hear how super awesome it is!

Gary: (making noises that sound like progress opening up the delivery tube)

Me: Well...is it awesome???

Gary: Wait, I'm unrolling it. Umm. I don't know what this is.

Me: Huh?

Gary: It's not the United States.

Me: What?

Gary: It's like lines. Stripes.

Me: It's supposed to be the United States. You know what the United States looks like. You've been there.

Gary: No, I think it's birch trees. I also have three degrees. I think I know what a U.S. map looks like.

Me: It's really trees?

Gary: And a deer. They sent us f------ Bambi. What the hell??

Me: I don't want a deer in the trees. That's weird. Who would want that?

Gary: You have to fix this. This is too weird.

Then we talked about dinner and beer. So now I'm going to write about beer.

***

The Abbaye du Val-Dieu Grand Cru Belgian Abbey Ale poured quite dark in the glass with a slightly off-white head.  Some intense twisting and turning in front of my kitchen light revealed maroon-red color where the light penetrated.  Very interesting to look at.  (I went with the beeradvocate.com link since this particular beer wasn't listed on the brewery's website.)

It smells like sweet ripened bananas with hints of vanilla.  First sip.  Goddamn.  There is alcohol in this here beer.  I like big strong beer.  Victory 12 is a favorite.  At 10.5% ABV, this one is also a doozy but, wow, it packs a kick with that ABV combined with all that flavor.   (I also forgot to eat anything today so there’s that.)  These monks know how to make some beer.

The taste is complex.  Upfront it is well balanced.  There isn’t one flavor that stands out from the rest and it all blends very nicely.  There is banana on the back end with a sweetness that reminds me of really good icing.  Sweet and complex and not sugary.  C’mon, someone with a sweet tooth like me has to understand that one.  Right?

I’m off to savor this beer and ogle Ryan Gossling in Drive.  Cheers!