Trois Pistoles - Unibroue

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.78/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

One of My favorite beers. Every sip is a different delicious taste sent to the brian. Top pick from Canada's finest brewery will hold its own against Belgian ales. Nice at the end of a meal or for lunch instead of a heavy latte. Five and a half years till finally found on tap, at Volo's, and really not as good on tap, not as much body and taste, though aroma was there.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2003 23:30:37 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.93/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Yeasty brick red with a generous amount of dark bronze (center) and ripe orange (edges). Unfortunately, the head doesn't look anywhere near as good as the beer itself. Ecru in color, it has that somewhat harsh, unsticky texture that neither looks good nor deposits much lace. Or, in this case, any lace.

The nose is enjoyable, but it isn't strong enough or complex enough for this strong, complex style. It's primarily dark fruity, on the order of unsweet dates and dried figs (not dark enough for raisins and not light enough for apples and pears). There's also a moderate amount of an indeterminate, musky spice.

Trois Pistoles is good beer that doesn't blow me away. I'm still waiting for the Unibroue beer that will blow me away. Like most of their offerings, this one is on the lighter side of the style spectrum. Light is appropriate for a witbier or a hefe weizen, but I think BSDAs should be big, bold, spicy, and semi-chewy. That isn't to say that the beer isn't enjoyable, just that it doesn't fit my favored profile for the style.

Sweet and bitter fight to a draw, with spicy fruit maintaining center stage throughout. It isn't as spicy as say... oh, your average Belgian BSDA, but it's no shrinking violet either. The fruit comparison isn't obvious in beer that's this unsweet, but it's there. Dark caramel and even carob notes are present as well.

The mouthfeel is enjoyable if you like light and airy BSDAs rather than full ones. Although the carbonation is finely fizzy when beer first meets tongue, it fades quickly. Again, not my idea of perfection, but someone has to hold down the left edge of the bell curve.

I had high hopes for Unibroue Trois Pistoles. Why, exactly, I have no idea, since nothing that this brewery has yet released (that I've tasted) has lived up to the hype. I've found that the higher alcohol brews (Maudite, La Fin Du Monde, Don De Dieu) have been more to my liking than their lower alcohol counterparts. That said, they still can't hold a candle to the Belgian originals. This is good beer, but it isn't even close to special.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2006 15:09:01 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another goodie that I got to try on tap at Barleys last night. This one I had been wanting to try so what the hell right. Served in a goblet, this one was consumed on 06/11/2009.

The pour was very nicely done. Rich looking dark colors swirling around in my glass. A really nicely done looking head of off white comes climbing up and over the top settling down into a fine pillow. Lots of dark fruit on the nose here, prunes, raisins the biggest players by far. Light earthy notes and perhaps a touch of grain as well. Nice medium body,great carbonation here really letting the profile pop. Lots of grain and bready taste mid palate before it is washed away one last time by a nice touch of fruit and a hint of spice. Well hidden alcohol I have to say let this go down very smoothly.

Overall I have to admit this one was pretty damn good. Not the best, but very solid and I am glad I got a chance to try it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2009 05:24:33 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a very dark brown with hints of crimson. Nice off-white, tannish head.

S: Loads and loads of dark fruits and hints of cherry with some caramel and toffee in the background.

T: Creamy dark fruits overwhelm the palate. Raisins, figs, dates, and dried cherries.

M: Nice and creamy. Good medium body with excellent carbonation.

D: Highly drinkable. Big fan of this all around and have to say I enjoy it quite a bit more than La Fin du Monde.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2010 13:06:16 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.3/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a rather dark, reddish-brown body with a foamy, off-white head.

Smell: Spicy, sweet-smelling aroma of rum-soaked spice cake, orange zest, random berries, and dark caramel malts.

Taste: Sweet, sugary dark malts with well-blended tastes of caramel, milk chocolate, and vanilla. Punchy, tangy fruit character throughout. Mild bitterness. Dash of white pepper. Very, very slight sour hint. Touch of alcohol near the end. Fruity, fizzy finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Moderate carbonation.

Drinkability: Very tasty. I'd been quite some time, years in fact, since I'd last had one of these. I oughta be ashamed of myself.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2008 05:03:59 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a dark tawny color with ruby highlights; the tan head leaves many strands of lace

Smell: Caramel, dates, fig, pears, cherries, bananas and a touch of cinnamon; a veritable fruit salad of a beer

Taste: Starts with a caramel and a fruity banana flavor from the Unibroue house yeast; builds with a range of dark fruit (fig and raisin) flavors; after the swallow, the black pepper and other earthy spices kick in, adding a touch of grain and woody complexity to the finish

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light bodied and highly carbonated; plenty of warming down the throat - it is 9%, after all

Drinkability: With all of its complexity, this is a very approachable beer and one of this brewery's best

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2006 19:50:21 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.85/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle into a nonic pint glass.

A - Pours a rich dark cola color with a 1 inch beige head that fades to nothing. Lacing is little to none.

S - Brown sugar mixed with sour/unripe fruits. There is also a bread/yeast essence. Smells extremely tasty.

T - Like a warm biscuit with sweet fruits on top. There is a spice element to this beer that the alcohol helps bring out.

M - Very full but smooth. There is good carbonation in this beer.

D - Very drinkable for the 9% ABV it carries. One of my favorites from Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2010 05:18:57 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark brown brew with a creamy dark white head. Real fizzy, I still had bubble coming on top five-ten minutes after the brew was pourred. The alcohol was not too prevalent and the taste was sweet and fruity. Usual malt taste from Unibroue. Very nice brew overall.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2003 14:21:19 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.08/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From a burgudy pour, Trios Pistoles delivers a lively carbonated pour, releasing an egg shell white head that though short, leaves great lacing and lasts the entire session wiht a delicate sheet of foam. Both bold and elegant.

Vinous and fruity in aroma, the beer leads with grape, raspberries, blueberries, and black currants. The spicy yeast gives elements of white pepper and a mimic of oak-aged tanins.

Flavors are ester forward with the same fruits found in the nose. Aided with candied fruits of berries, grapes, and currants, the malts also give a fruitcake or rum-soaked cake taste that is both complex and rounded. Spices of orange peel, corriander, and anise also decorate the peppery phenols in an intricate way (in only a way that the ommition of hops can give, and is also characteristic of great Belgian ales).

The body is almost sticky-sweet up front but with a quick drying period midway through. But then the beer dries out swiftly and wonderfully with only a whisper of the sweet malts and deep esters that started it all. Fruity aftertastes remind me of Cabernet wines. Lovely through and through.

Trios Pistoles is a wonderful beer that can't quite rival the great Westvleteren or Rocheforts but settle in nicely behind the St. Bernardus Abt. 12's and Westmalle's. A joy to drink any day, and for the price a bargin.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2005 14:12:30 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a nice medium brown with a medium sticky head,aroma is sweet and spicey with some alcohol notes.The taste is sweet and and malty with some real nice spicey notes,very clovey and sweet very appetizing.The alchol really comes thru as it warms,a real true belgian stule ale,very appetizing.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2003 01:27:22 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

In the goblet Trois Pistoles is almost black beneath its tall head of frothy bone-white foam. If you tilt the glass you can see tiny bubbles steadily streaming upwards, adding to it's head, and helping with its retention. Lacing about the glass, however, is a bit more limited than might be expected given the head retention. In the nose dark fruits greet you (not unlike port wine in many ways). It's initially zesty in the mouth before it warms a bit, but it still leaves with a bit of a zing until it warms a bit and becomes more airy. The flavor is drenched in soft, tanninc dark fruit that's been dipped in liquid sugar; but it's not particularily complex. As it warms, however, more caramel notes and some subtle hops become apparent, as does a touch of spicy alcohol (and some actual spice perhaps?) and some very low-key notes of licorice or soft molasses. It's really well balanced, with it's spicy alcohol and delicate bitterness balancing the dark fruits and restrained sugars. It's really quite enticing in that it's flavors are somewhat restrained and "mellow" as the back label suggests. This is a beer to be savored slowly, enjoying it's subtle complexities as they emerge. Magnifique!!!

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2005 22:15:48 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a tumbler.

Back in the day, I was enticed to buy this beer by the lovely label and seemingly exotic cork-and-caged presentation. Now, I just remember it being damn tasty. It pours a dark burnt sienna topped by a nice finger of dirty off-white foam. The nose comprises clove, pumpernickel, black pepper, nutmeg, black cherry, cinnamon, candi sugar, and Belgian yeast. The taste brings in more of the same, along with some red apples, black grapes, raisins, figs, and rye bread. The body is an ephemerally light yet still pretty strong medium, with a very light moderate carbonation and a strangely crisp finish. Overall, a very nice BSDA, one I'll probably be returning to many times in the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 21:21:39 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.88/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Dark violet color, with a short tan head that recedes too soon.

Rich, heady aromas come wafting out the bottleneck, plump with associations: Raisins, plums, spices, brandy, dark rum, smoke, and so much more.

Bracing onslaught of hops on the palate, but excellent buttress of malt backs it up.
Fantastic spark on the tongue, and a wonderful sweetness that follows after the drizzling of hops. Transendant complexity, utterly other-worldly, and overjoyous.

A real treat of a beer, and a rare delight. Only the finest of human beings should put this to their lips, as a benedicton and reflection of the worthiness of their souls. So, all you slobs, go better yourselves before daring to crack the cage and cork. So go do community service, adopt a stray kitten, give a street urchin a quarter, let someone on the freeway before you, be kind to our fine feathered friends, turn a Bud man on to oatmeal stouts, just do something to realign your karma to make you worthy enough to pour this fine beer down your gullet.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2003 16:49:44 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.43/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a dark brownish color with a thick frothy off-white head. The aroma is awesome! It has a nice malty scent that is complimented with a fruity Belgian yeast aroma. It is very sweet and refreshing. The taste is very good. It has a rich and intense malt complexity. It has a toasted malt flavor that goes down easy and finishes dry and a bit fruity due to the Belgian yeast. It has great flavor. It has a dark beer taste, but without the black malts. The mouthfeel is excellent. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a damn good brew. These guys only produce winners.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2004 01:48:46 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip. Beer is dark brown / black. Forms a thin off white head of small bubbles. Leaves some lacing on the glass and carbonation is moderate to low and steady.

Aroma has more raisins but the same estery bready yeast aroma as most of their beers.

Beer is rather thin but really good. Sweet and bitter at the same time. It finishes cleanly with a light body but nice carbonation in the mouth. This beer is really good. not feeling very verbose tonight but I"m really enjoying it.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2010 03:01:08 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark brown color with some nice red highlights and a huge tan head. The aroma is Belgian yeast, sugar, cherries, plums, alcohol and maybe a little bit of anise. The flavor is Belgian yeast and cherries, along with some candy sugar, raisins and some darker, but not roasted, malts. There is a little bit of spicyness in the flavor as well as some alcohol that is very warming. Very drinkable. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A classic Belgian-style ale that I could drink everyday.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2011 03:27:41 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.35/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Best before date of 4-25-09

A - Poured out a dark brown color (almost like a cola). It had a fizzy, tan, three-finger head. It left great lace.

S - It smelled of malt, sweet fruits - like a berry or cherry aroma.

T - It tasted quite sweet. It was nutty and malty. It aso had some hop spice.

M - It was smooth and warm on the tongue. It was a heavy-bodied beer.

D - This is a great beer. No surprise for a Unibroue beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2007 17:33:03 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

4.2/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is very dark brown in color and poured with a finger high off white head that quickly dissipated into a thin layer of bubbles that consistently covered the surface.
S: A rather complex aroma of cherries and other dark fruits fills the nose, along with some notes of yeast and hints of alcohol.
T: The taste has a moderate amount of sweetness with flavors of apples, cherries, dates, figs, spices and yeast. There are also some notes of caramel malts.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate with a high amount of carbonation.
D: The alcohol is very well hidden, which makes this beer relatively easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2010 03:27:08 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.93/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a deep amber color with a tanish, light brown head that is not that thick or long lasting. The aroma is dominated by concentrated fruit aromas (cherry, fig, and raisin). There is a hint of alcohol and notes of spice cake also found in the nose. This is fairly light bodied given the intense fruit aromas that are in the aroma. The alcohol is evident in the light burn as it reaches my stomach. There is a hint of coriander in the finish. The fruit notes of raisin and fig are here in the taste as well, but they are not as intense as the aroma would suggest. The finish is fairly dry, though it is lightly sweet up front, which helps to accentuate the fruit notes. Definitely an elegant brew, pretty subtle and I can imagine that some age brings some added complexity to this brew. I'll have to stash a few to see how they age.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2004 17:14:24 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a dark brown color with a medium off-white head that fades very slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of dark fruit, chocolate, Belgian yeast, some caramelized malts and a little bit of hops.

T: The taste starts with strong flavors of cherries, licorice and bourbon up front with some background flavors of chocolate, caramel and Belgian yeast. An alcohol sting seems to keep trying to poke its way through but gets blocked by the hearty malt character. There's a mild but complimentary hops presence that provides a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, pretty clean finish for a style that tends to be sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, strong kick, good representation of style, there are certain things that I've come to expect from Unibroue and at the same time I've come to know that they can throw a curve-ball once in a while. This beer has the Unibroue qualities I expected and also has the curve-ball with its fruity and candy-like taste. Overall, it's a well-made beer that is worth drinking for a long time if you're in the mood for this type of beer, but it's not one that I would want to drink consistently.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2009 04:32:40 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured out as a deep brown color with a nice looking tan head on top. The lacing is pretty good here. The smell of dark malts and fruits blend with the Belgian yeast aromas creating a slighty sweet aroma on the nose. The taste of the beer is lightly roasted, the sweetness of the fermented fruit flavors come through and leaves a dry finish in the mouth. The mouthfeel of this brew is a little creamy and had some light carobnation making this brew an easy going sipper that can be enjoyed for a while. Overall I found this to get better as it warmed up, this is a really nice brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 02:06:56 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

BBD of 6-12-10

Pours an effervescent brownish ebony with 3 fingers of sand colored head & viscous tendencies. Near zero head retention & a bit of lacing

S: Appleskins, a bit of brown sugar, & cherries

T: Some caramel, a bit of booze & apple skin up front. Dryness, tart cherries, apricot & just a hint oaky vanilla as this warms. Finishes with dates, booze warmth, caramel, jammy notes, more vanilla; & more cherry tartness & just a tinge of smokey peat

MF: Slick with low carbonation & medium body

Drinks okay, maybe with a year or three aging this would mellow out, just a little too hot alcohol-wise for me, you get every bit of the 9% abv along with some complexity. This is alright, but not getting the vibe that had this in the Top 100 other than taste, maybe

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2007 05:44:30 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a dark brown with ruby highlights, with a thick off-white head, which recedes quickly into a thick rim, with very small bubbles.

S: Distinct smell of raisins, figs and Unibroue yeast character.

T: Taste is unique for a BSDA, it is very yeasty, but there is a certain quality in the taste that is markedly different from a brew made in Belgium. Quite malty on the first sip melding later into a heavy character of Mission fig, ending with some drying alcohol and carbonic acid.

M: Velvety mouthfeel, very soft and calming on the palate, light bite from the carbonation.

D: This is a very good beer, possibly my favourite from Unibroue, definitely one of the tops in the style, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2008 05:17:47 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: pours brown in color with reddish highlights. Big fluffy 3" head that lasts a bit. Some soft lacing develops.

Smell: ripe fruits, sweet malts, and some floral bitterness.

Taste: strong malt backbone nicely balanced with pitted fruits like black plums, prunes, and sweet cherry. Alcohol is slightly noticeable. Some molasses and mild bitterness rounds it out.

Mouthfeel: medium-heavy in body. Smooth at the start and finish. The aftertaste is long of the fruit tones.

Drinkability: nicely drinkable even with the higher alcohol levels. More than one bottle can be easily consumed, but you will be feeling it even if you are slowly sippin' this.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2006 13:17:31 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into tulip glass:
Poured black - with slight ruby highlights around the edges when held to light - with a large, foamy head that slowly (especially considering the abv) became a spotted - well retained lace.
The smell was of raisiny fruits with an alcohol bite in the background.
The taste was complex (not making it easy to describe - but very enjoyable) - It was of spicy fruits - well-balanced - it was like the dark side of a Duvel - reminiscent of licorice and raisins - there was more to it - but tough to put into words - a delicious drink.
The flavors lingered until the alcohol slowly creeped in and left a dry, clean finish.
This was dangerously drinkable - a "sipping" beer that is all too easy to more than "sip".
I have to admit that I couldn't help grabbing a second one despite my having determined beforehand that I would have only one and save the others for special occasions...whoops.
Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2006 03:27:51 | More by jwc215