Trader Joe's 2010 Vintage Ale - Trader Joe's Brewing Company

kylehay2004

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I used my bare hands to pry this cork off... which made the beer that more satisfying as it is no easy task.

Moderate to high carbonation on my tasting which is why the mouthfeel score was marked so low as I felt this subtracted from the flavor. Dark brown with red hue. True to the Unibroue nature, this is a spicy beer with dark fruit taste predominating. I wish I had enjoyed previous editions to provide a "year by year comparison. The finish is semi-dry.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2011 15:11:09 | More by kylehay2004

lernerlift

Kansas

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

05-05-2013 22:17:31 | More by lernerlift

rand

California

3.04/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

From 750 mL bottle to Mikasa tulip glass

A: Pours dark brown in color and forms a huge sudsy head on gentle pour. The chocolate-cream colored head never fully recedes and leaves sticky lacing all over the glass.

S: The nose is cherries and raisin, ripe fruity esters. The aromas are enveloped in a sweet, medicinal overtone.

T/M: Cherries and ripe fruit and the front of the palate. Heavy phenols. Nutmeg, paprika, cracked pepper are noted. The complexion is sticky and syrupy, and leaves a sweet residue all over the palate - could have used a little more carbonation. The flavors become overly medicinal toward the finish, which is long and stick-sweet.

Not the best showring for Unibroue, or the Trader Joe's Vintage series. I've had this cellared for a couple of years yet the brew is still a little cloying and one-dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 05:53:20 | More by rand

jabo134

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5.8%

04-21-2013 01:09:40 | More by jabo134

MidwestBA

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5.8%

04-11-2013 01:06:21 | More by MidwestBA

blackie

Virginia

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 cellared about a year after release

a: served in a large westmalle chalice, the beer is a deep brown in color, capped with a well-retained layer of khaki carbonation

s: dark belgian malts and tree fruits form a full, healthy nose - prune and fig, darker sugars, big floral coriander is the spice I find more than any other, black pepper, nice alcohol, the malts are well roasted with brief suggestions of chocolate, papery hop aroma, lots of yeast

m: carbonation medium-high, with a medium-full mouthfeel, lively but substantial on the palate

t: lots of darker sugars, a combination of roasted and caramelized malts, and tree fruits, plum/prune and fig especially, leathery fruit skin flavors hit mid palate with a generous dose of coriander - there are presumably other spices present, but coriander is most dominant to my nose, papery hop flavors and a mild-moderate bittering with sugar and coriander flavors lingering long

o: a classic dark belgian ale with the yeasty, spicy character you’d expect; a slight darker, sweeter, and heavier than is typical, drinks well

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 02:17:33 | More by blackie

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.5/5  rDev -33.9%

03-23-2013 13:09:31 | More by Thorpe429

GhjBAR

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

03-22-2013 03:33:24 | More by GhjBAR

t0rin0

California

3/5  rDev -20.6%

03-03-2013 16:15:20 | More by t0rin0

ssimpson89

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

03-02-2013 21:49:17 | More by ssimpson89

HattedClassic

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured in a Chimay chalice. Aged for two and a half years in various condition while slightly exposed to sunlight and occasional temperature variances.

Appearance:
Pours a darkish black and brown with a hint of purple.

Smell:
Hints of Belgian sugar and dark fruits with a hint of sour grapes.

Taste:
The Belgian sugars are less prominent than in a fresh bottle. The dark fruits tend to comprise of raisin and grapes. However, the grapes appear to have soured a bit. The beer tasted a little bit like a port instead of a strong dark ale. The hops were noticeable diminished.

Mouthfeel:
Full bodied. Light carbonation.

Overall:
A pretty decent and surprising beer given the fact it was brewed for a grocery chain. I look forward to drinking the other vintages that I've been storing.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 20:56:23 | More by HattedClassic

rob99er

California

4/5  rDev +5.8%

02-08-2013 16:30:52 | More by rob99er

Mitchster

Michigan

3.41/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

One of our members of our homebrew club brought this to our latest meeting and after it was cracked, nobody drank it, so I brought it home with me, loving all things Unibroue and never having heard of this one before. "Dark Ale brewed with spices and Natural flavor added", bottle conditioned, 9.0% abv per the bottle. BBF 9/10/2013, so hey, I'm still within their time range:) Pours out to a very dark brown, like a brown porter, forming a nice whipped light tan head with very good retention and lacing. The cork was notoriously difficult to get out at this age and required a cork screw, pliers, and a knife. Brisk carbonation, ~3.5 carbs or so. The aroma is peculiar...at first I get some Brett like sour cherry pie character, but then it's closer to cola and root-beer..perhaps some sarsaparilla, licorice root, ginger and orange peel. The mouthfeel is crisp and clean with a light body (considering it's ABV) that finishes dry. Thankfully no oxidation at this age. The taste doesn't have any funky Brett character, just the aforementioned spices sitting on top of some restrained dates and figs. Very mild bitterness, barely enough to retain balance. No roast malt character at all...the color is probably from Carafa or debittered black malt. Finish of root-beer, cola and carob. Very peculiar, unlike any Unibroue beer I've had. It reminds me of a more drinkable stronger version of that "Brewer Patriot 1790 Root-beer" that Sam Adams released a few years ago.

Well, that was interesting. It's a fun beer to try but honestly couldn't see myself ever wanting to drink it again even if it were available.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 23:22:50 | More by Mitchster

ctenidae

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

01-06-2013 23:40:27 | More by ctenidae

Philousa

California

2.68/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Aged in my own cellar, may taste slightly older than normal since I let it sit in my closet one summer before getting a proper wine fridge.

Pours a dark brown, somewhat red color against the light, black in the glass. Head is billowy at first but settles to a dense off white color, not too far from grey. Lots of spices: mostly allspice with pepper, clove, and ginger. I also get caramel and a bit of chocolate. It's hard to get the aroma out of the malts because the spices are so strong. Yeasty! Flavor is equally spicy and malty. Mostly caramel with cacao and a healthy amount of allspice, pepper, and clove. There's also a significant amount of raisin, prune, and grape juice. It's just this side of cloying, really. The finish is slightly dry, feel is a bit watery. Not my favorite. Glad I only paid $5 at the time. Nice first try in cellaring.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 19:06:59 | More by Philousa

cowboy83

New York

5/5  rDev +32.3%

11-18-2012 06:47:31 | More by cowboy83

scottiethebody

California

4/5  rDev +5.8%

11-13-2012 06:21:17 | More by scottiethebody

draheim

Washington

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL into a chalice. Pours a murky mahogany w/ a big khaki head. Leaves behind a uniform film of lace.

Aroma is dark fruit, bready malt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Smells like pumpkin bread.

Taste follows nose. Plums and figs, holiday spices. Alcohol well-hidden. Bready and satisfying.

Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, delicate, with a dry finish. Bottle conditioning has done its work here.

Overall a very good quad /BSDA from Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 04:50:17 | More by draheim

jasewaaang

California

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

09-16-2012 07:27:23 | More by jasewaaang

cortez

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +5.8%

09-12-2012 05:13:40 | More by cortez

TMoore

5/5  rDev +32.3%

08-12-2012 05:00:46 | More by TMoore

AwYeh

California

3.55/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2010 vintage, poured into snifter. A bit of a Christmas in July was had with this one.

A: Pours an opaque dark brown, with a bit of visible sediment at the bottom of the glass.

S: Dark fruity malts, figs, spice, and yeast. Sweet and festive.

T: Once again, quite sweet, and due to the same basic flavors that showed up in the nose (plus even more spice). This tastes distinctly like a Unibroue beer given the high quantity of their yeast present.

M: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation; a syrupy quailty helps the beer's flavors stick around after the finish.

O: A solid Belgian dark ale, especially given its comparably low price. Well worth picking up for five dollars.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 19:09:41 | More by AwYeh

fatbatcat

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

07-07-2012 18:10:20 | More by fatbatcat

fox227

California

4/5  rDev +5.8%

07-06-2012 15:45:18 | More by fox227

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from 12/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours nearly black with a thick, attractive dark tan head with lots of lacing. Spicy malty Belgian and dark fruit aroma. Malt, dark fruits, Belgain spicing. Ends rather subdued. Sweet and spicy I think this will age nicely like the last few years.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 23:23:55 | More by LiquidAmber