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Kronenbourg
 scrapes in
 decent
 good
 excellent
 sublime
Kronenbourg, Premier Cru (France) 
This is a special beer from Kronenbourg (brewed in France) that is a big step up in class from the standard 1664, coming in a dramatic opaque blue bottle and weighing in at 6.0% ABV. It pours quite dark and golden, with an off-white head. The nose is aromatic, with hoppy, quite estery scents of herbs and spices over rich malty, toasty notes. On the palate a clove-like edge adds bite to fine crystal malt flavours that have lots of bittersweetness about them, with a good oily hop bite. To me it is a style half-way between a strong lager and a lighter bitter. 6.0% ABV, 50cl, �2.19, Safeway, Sainsbury's.  |  |
Kronenbourg, Wel Scotch (France)
I believe this beer was brewed by Kronenbourg as a direct response to Brasserie Fischer's very successful Adelscott - a "whisky beer", brewed from peat-smoked Scotch whisky malt. This one declares "au malt des Highlands" on the label. It is slightly lighter in colour than Adelscott, and has a fast dissipating head. There are ginger and plum nuances to a malt-loaf, raisiny nose. On the palate it is sweet like Adelscott, with a subtle coriander spiciness and more ginger and clove - a much spicier beer. It doesn't have the substance of Adelscott, and the sweet finish is a lot more cloying, with less complexity. Purchased in France. 6.2% ABV, 25cl.  |  |
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