2 O'Clock Tasting: 
Grimm Ales

Updated on April 05, 2016

We think that Brooklyn is an incredible hive of inspirational, creative energy (we're based here for a reason!). Two people contributing to this energy in a major way are Joe and Lauren Grimm, the husband and wife duo behind Grimm Ales.

The Grimms are nomadic brewers (they brew their beer at breweries with extra capacity) who are responsible for every aspect of Grimm Ales, including the bottle art. They started brewing out of their Chicago apartment in 2005 before eventually moving to New York and founding Grimm Ales in 2013. Their beers, creative twists on Belgian styles, are brewed in small batches with no repeats.

We sampled three recent Grimm offerings; With Love From Grimm, a tripel; BFF, an Imperial IPA; and Double Negative, an Imperial Stout. Read on for our tasting notes and be sure to contribute your own if you've sampled these delicious beers!

1. With Love From Grimm

   10.0% ABV

   A Belgian-style tripel brewed with rosebuds on Valentine's Day, With Love From Grimm had a beautiful white fluffy head atop a hazy, ginger-ale colored beer. The predominant aroma was lemon with a small amount of pepper. We found the lemon aroma to be similar to preserved lemon or a lemon cookie. The chalky minerality of With Love From Grimm was rounded by a slightly spicy flavor that faded into a mildly bitter finish.

2. BFF

   9% ABV

   The "weakest" Grimm beer we tried was their 9% ABV BFF, which shows how strong these ales are! Brewed with 5lbs per barrel of Falconer's Flight and Centennial hops and utilizing the base yeast from Orval, one of our favorite beers, BFF was an Imperial IPA through and through. A hazy marigold color with a nice thick white head, the beer had clean and mild bubblegum aroma with notes of pine, orange, and tobacco. The overall scent could be summed up as "hoppy Orval", which is an exciting prospect! The hops dominated on this very bitter ale, hiding much of the Orval yeast. Light in body and piney, we were reminded of raw green bell peppers.

3. Double Negative

   10.0% ABV

   This espresso-colored and garnet-hued Imperial Stout was brewed with so much grain that the mash tun nearly overflowed. Double Negative was full of delightful aromas that made us crave dessert; cocoa, coconut, fudge, and chocolate covered cherries all wafted past our noses. On the tongue the beer was slightly salty and surprisingly non-boozy for its 10% ABV. The creamy roasted flavors transitioned into a pleasantly bitter finish.

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