Grand cru (food and drink) facts for kids

The term grand cru is a special phrase used to describe some products, like beer, chocolate, and cognac. It means the product is of very high quality.

While "grand cru" has a clear and official meaning for wine vineyards, its use for other products is not officially regulated. This means companies can use it to show their product is special, even if there isn't a strict rule about it.

Grand Cru in Chocolate

In the 1980s, French chocolatiers wanted to show how special their French chocolate was. They started using terms like "vintage" and "grand cru" to market their products.

When a chocolate bar is called "grand cru," it means that all the cocoa beans used to make it come from a specific country or region. This helps chocolate lovers know where their chocolate's main ingredient comes from.

Later, a new term appeared: "premier cru." This means the cocoa comes from an even more specific place, like a single farm or plantation within a country. A "premier cru" chocolate is usually thought to be even better quality than a "grand cru." This is different from how these terms are used for wine, where "grand cru" wine is considered more valuable than "premier cru."

Grand Cru in Beer

The term "grand cru" is also used for beers, especially in Belgium. It often means a more special or complex version of a regular beer brand. For example, InBev makes a beer called Hoegaarden Grand Cru, which is a fancier version of their regular Hoegaarden. The Rodenbach Brewery also makes a Rodenbach Grand Cru. Lindemans Brewery has a gueuze and a kriek beer named Cuvée René Grand Cru.

Many breweries in the United States have also started making "Grand Cru" beers. These are usually limited edition beers that are considered very special or of higher quality. Some examples include Avery Brewing Company's The Beast Grand Cru Ale, AleSmith Brewing Company's Grand Cru, and Allagash Brewing Company's Allagash Grand Cru.

Other Uses of Grand Cru

The term "Grand Cru" is also used by Nespresso to describe the different flavors of its coffee capsules.

The Trappist brewery Chimay also makes a special cheese called Grand Cru.

See also

In Spanish: Grand cru para niños

Images for kids

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  The Trappist Chimay Brewery's Grand Cru cheese