Brew Haven Taste: Cru Comparison (New Belgium)

They were pouring tastes of Super Cru and Abbey Grand Cru from the Lips of Faith series. I was able to taste them and compare. Looking at the descriptions online one is a beefed up Fat Tire and the other is a smooth Abbey Ale. These are my quick, love it or hate it notes.

I do have a bottle of Super Cru in my booze lair, so I will be posting on it again.

General Thoughts

Look and Smell: They were both amber brown. All I smelled was everything around me, so I'm not sure what it smelled like. The Abbey Grand Cru had more head and much more lacing down the glass.

Taste: The Abbey Grand Cru seemed a bit thicker in consistency. The Super Cru had some booziness and tartness, but it smoothed out. They both tasted New Belgium-y (the yeast).

From the NB site:
Abbey Grand Cru
Before there was New Belgium Brewing, there was Abbey Ale. It was the first beer of home brewer and New Belgium co-founder, Jeff Lebesch. So the love brews deep for Abbey Grand Cru. By saving it for a few years, Abbey Grand Cru will continue to improve and age deliciously.

Just the facts Ma'am...
ABV - 9.5%
IBU - 20
Calories - 270
Hops - Willamette, Target, Liberty
Malts - Pale, Chocolate, Carapils, C-80, Munich

Super Cru
Our 20th Anniversary! Let's roll a bunch of New Belgium together and put it in a bottle. Start with the backbone of Fat Tire, but double the malt and hops; Add in crisp Asian Pears, a very Belgian thing to do; and bring it to life with a Saison yeast.
It's New Belgium Super Cru from us to you!

Just the facts Ma'am...
ABV - 10%
Calories - 266
Hops - Target, Willamette, Golding
Malts - Pale, Munich, C-80, Victory
Fruits/Spice - Asian Pear