Trois Pistoles - Unibroue

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.23/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A- Dark brown body with little transparency. Thin, foamy white head that is not as prominent as most other Belgian-style beers.

S- Spicy Belgian yeast, dark dried fruits, a hint of cherry, slight nutty aroma as well. All in all, this of smells good.

T- Almost tastes like a dark tripel (if that was a style). A mix of tree fruits (pears, some apple), and the dark dried fruits (figs, some raisins). Belgian yeast comes through a lot to give a spiced bread flavor.

M- High carbonation, full bodied, creamy and bready with a sharp tingle.

O- Very interesting combination of flavors. Close to being muddled together, but it works.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 00:07:22 | More by stephenjmoore

JWU

Pennsylvania

4.76/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12oz. bottle poured into a snifter

A- straight up dark brown, that pours very murky. A foamy tan head strangely has almost a pink tint to it, and dissipates pretty quickly.

S- Wowsers. I hardly had to put my nose to the glass, the aroma jumps from this one. Big notes of candy sugar, figs, cherries, prunes, and a hint of cocoa. Smells pretty much fantastic.

T- Follows the nose perfectly, and it's just so darn good I can hardly stand it. An absolute harmony of dark fruits with a hint of cocoa. Sweet, but has a grassy hop component to lend just a touch of grassy hops.

M- Has the typical aggressive Belgian carbonation, fairly thick, medium to full bodied.

O- I'll take this over Chimay Blue and Gulden Draak any day, and every day. My new favorite Belgian dark.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 01:17:19 | More by JWU

JuliusCaesar

New Hampshire

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Golden brown with a light head.

S: Mostly candy with some green apple.

T: Fruity start balanced with a solid caramel finish.

M: Smooth and light. Nice carbonation level.

Overall: A great Belgian ale. Fruity esters and sweet malts dominate. Complex and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 19:04:38 | More by JuliusCaesar

KYGunner

Kentucky

4.45/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Gorgeous, simply gorgeous! Deep, dark browns with a stiff creamy head and an active effervescence.

The nose is varied with cloves, dried fruits, raisin, banana, lemon, and sweet malts.

The taste and feel are smooth beyond belief, with warm dates, prunes, grape and grains. There's a bit of chocolate and fruity sugars, the taste is diverse and complex. I catch a mint like quality in amongst several fruity flavors but even a touch of pepper. The end is yeasty and clovey but subtle enough that the ride is enjoyable. Overall this is pure quality.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 02:36:01 | More by KYGunner

takemetothelion

3.96/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up at Bootleggers after becoming addicted to the Unibroue collection. $7 such a good deal for a world class beer. Excited to be trying another dark ale, we shall see if it lives up to the other Quebec classics.

A- A finger and a half of head on this dark menace. Moderate to heavy carbonation and a ruby black coloration that is shrouded in mystery.

S- Subtle nose overall. Apricot and spice with other fruit elements, light yet balanced.

T- Fruity and sweet! well spiced quite drinkable as it is quite smooth. Alcohol hidden until right at the end where it kinda lingers. Lovin it

MF- carbonation lingers on after taste, not so suggestive at the introduction. Velvety smooth with a full mouthfeel though something missing as if diluted in a way.

Overall, not as good as the grand reserve 17 but an exceptional specimen and a dangerous drink due to drink ability and high alcohol content.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 02:46:01 | More by takemetothelion

tectactoe

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark, murky, swampy brown color, completely opaque. Some very minor hints of ruby can be seen when held up to direct lighting. A very fine-bubbled, beige head forms with decent retention, though lacing is minimal at best. One whiff of this stuff and it's very clear that it's a Belgian style ale. Belgian yeast abound, hints of dark, fruity esters, light banana, spices, clove, plums, and mild phenol. The aroma isn't nearly as strong, sweet, or abundant as many other BSDAs, which is somewhat of a let down. Naturally, things get a little better as it warms up, but I was still expecting a bigger punch out of this one.

The taste matches the nose quite well - earthy esters, dirty, slightly musky hop bitterness, sweet prunes and dates, spicy yeast, clove, pumpernickel and rye toast, light caramel-like malts, very faint molasses and sugar. Some grape skin flavors are there as well, which mesh with the alcohol character to produce a wine-like sweetness that comes out at the end. Nice mix of yeasty-fruity with spicy-earthy; there isn't one flavor that severly overpowers any other, so if there's one thing this BSDA does extremely well - it's balance. Much like the aroma, I would've like the flavor to be a bit bigger and bolder. The body was even a little thinner than I would expect for this still, medium at best, with a high amount of carbonation. The aftertastes dies down with some spice grape and apple skin esters erring on the earthy side of things, maybe with a touch of clove and spice.

Maybe I was being a little too critical because I had such high hopes for this beer after many recommendations from friends and such high ratings on this sight. Don't get me wrong, this beer is damn good, balanced excellently, and certainly unique. But it doesn't quite hit "blow-me-away" status. Something I definitely wouldn't turn down if offered, and certainly not bad at only 8$ for a bomber.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 19:14:02 | More by tectactoe

jrzellerman

Missouri

4.7/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A great Ale. I've been drinking Trois Pistoles for a while. A great price considering the quality. Whenever I drink this, I taste a lot of fruity notes. Most Unibroues are marketed as spicey and this holds true for Trois Pistoles. Probably the best thing about this ale is that it is drinkable with a high ABV.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 01:39:31 | More by jrzellerman

shick1

Ohio

5/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a glass & it didn't last long, poured another & proceeded to get shit faced. I don't remember much after that. This beer is by far one of my all time favorite beers, Unibroue make some of the best Belgian style ales on the market, this brew included.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 04:54:48 | More by shick1

elNopalero

Texas

4.94/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I’ve been drinking this one for so long I had just assumed I posted a review up at some point. So this is going to be short and to the point, but really what more do you need to know other than: it’s fantastic. Delicious. Drink it. For the price, the accessibility, and above all the quality this can’t be beat.

Pours a thick, dark ruby-burgundy with light foam. Wonderful bouquet with stone fruits dominating. The flavor shares an equal profile, with some plum and fig as well as a date-like sweetness standing out. What I find remarkable is how smooth (and smoothly sweet) this is. I mean, almost velvety. While not unusual I forget. (Belgian Strong Ale is not as clearly defined a category in my mind as say a dubble or triple and the wide variation is part of the reason.) This one won over some new converts recently and I can’t wait to share some more soon.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2013 07:51:27 | More by elNopalero

element75

4.69/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A- pours very dark brown with about a finger of light tan head that is very bubbly, as opposed to foamy. Almost no lacing.

S - Bold smell of fruits

T - Sweet with a lot of fruit flavor, especially grapefruit and grapes

M - Very smooth, the carbonation really stands out

O - I love the feel of this beer from start to finish. The flavors are very crisp and refreshing, and surprisingly well-balanced given the alcohol level of the beer. The bubbly carbonation makes this beer stand out from other Belgians I have tried, and I really enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 18:55:10 | More by element75

JudoJeff

4.29/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

From a 750 mL bottle this poured a dark brown. The smell was of citrus and fresh fruit. Carbonation was sharp like Champagne. The taste was oak-y and nutty with hints of freshness and citrus that the smell suggested. While still being a strong dark ale, this feels lighter than and crisper than others.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 04:36:34 | More by JudoJeff

LampertLand

British Columbia (Canada)

4.26/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Unibroue's 'Trois Pistoles' @ 9.0% , a Belgian Strong Dark Ale served from a corked 750 ml bottle purchased for $6

A-pour is a very dark brown with a smallish off white head leaving some sticky and spotty lacing along the goblet's edge

S-classic Belgian yeast , fresh & dried fruits ,

T-a complex sweet malty , spicey beginning with a bitter finish (too much corriander in the taste than say Maudite)

MF-full body , high carbonation , still very smooth on the palate , well hidden ABV that does warm you as it goes down

Ov-great beer , yes I will buy again

prost LampertLand

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 22:33:04 | More by LampertLand

GossageBrewery

Missouri

4.45/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured this 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. This Belgian Strong Dark ale poured an amber to brownish color, produced a average tannish head, decent retention and left an average amount of lacing on the glass. The aroma of this ale consisted of malted grain and grassy hops. Medium in body, this Ale has a foundation of toasted malt, spicy pepper, and dark chocolate. The finish contains grassy hops and is somewhat dry-. Great Winter Warmer/Session beer. Wonderful Belgian Style Ale- This is a must try.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 18:04:29 | More by GossageBrewery

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.04/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Pours a ruddy brown with hazy garnet highlights and a thin off white head that quickly dissipates to a ring on top. Brown sugar, light fruit and lots of yeasty esters make up the bulk of the aroma. The flavor is yeasty and bready with a lot of burnt and brown sugar. Light non descript fruity flavors and a touch of alcohol round out this out quite nicely. Medium body with a spirited level of carbonation and a sweet bubbly mouthfeel. I really liked this beer. I know its appropriate for the style, but the carbonation in this and most Belgians for me ruins the mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 00:55:33 | More by johnnnniee

ThinkAgain

Ontario (Canada)

4.93/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

One of my go too beers from the Beer Store, and enjoy being able to get six packs of Trois Pistoles, Maudite and Fin Du Monde from my Beer Store! Pours dark orange brown color, big thick clingy head, sweet fruity. Bready aroma, full bodied, alcohol hidden very well. Smooth and velvety and overall this is a great Belgian strong ale, very drinkable. Awesome brew and a great Canadian product.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 03:34:38 | More by ThinkAgain

Jellopants356

Montana

4.55/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Wow, this is interesting. Had this one to celebrate new years seeing as how i didn't have champagne i figured a craft beer from a pressured bottle would be better anyway. Pours a dark mahogany with a bit of cloud. Looks very fizzy. Thin head. Smells strongly of citrus and another fruit, possibly cherry. The mouthfeel is the kicker. Very carbonated but delicate on the pallet. Perfect mouthfeel for the style. The taste is much like grapefruit and cherry with a slight anise/licorice finish. Very complex beer with a great mouthfeel. I will definitely drink this one again. Happy New Year indeed!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 04:24:52 | More by Jellopants356

giventofly

3.78/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Best by 10-24-2014 bottle poured into a Dogfish Head goblet.

A: Deep mahogany, slightly opaque. Poured with little head which quickly dissipates into a light mahogany colored ring. Not much carbonation visible.

S: Not a very strong smelling beer. Getting a very faint ripe grape smell.

T: Very strong fig presence. The 9% ABV is very well hidden. A fairly sweet tasting beer.

M: Lots of carbonation in the mouth. Medium body.

Overall, a pretty good Belgian dark ale. A good offering from Unibroue, but not my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 04:50:11 | More by giventofly

CBrotherton

Kansas

4.03/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - First pour yielded little to no head, which seemed strange. Other reviews suggest this is atypical. Has low amount of bubbles on surface after head subsided. Low to moderate levels of bubbles rising to surface.

Smell - Strong aroma of raisins and plum. Sweet and fruity. Very bold, like biting into half a dozen plums at once.

Taste - Very sweet. Raisin and plum flavors. Very earthy taste. Very sweet. Almost too much taste in each sip.

Mouthfeel - Compared to the Le Fin du Monde (same brewery) that I recently rated, carbonation is lower than its sister, however, overall carbonation is medium and even across the tongue. 9% ABV is hidden slightly by the body, which is more subtle than expected for a high ABV content.

Overall - I confess that I was expecting a more direct and 'up-front' experience with this beer. Knowing my expectations, I can give a more accurate response on this beer. Having the fruit aroma and taste to it, I am at a loss as to what or how else the flavor/aroma could be altered to suit my 'ideal' taste of this beer. Though I, personally, cannot handle the aroma/taste for long (about half a bottle), it is enjoyable (for me) up to that point.

I still have three more bottles. I might re-review if my experience and/or thoughts change on this brew.

Best By Date of 05-19-14.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 05:26:58 | More by CBrotherton

StonedTrippin

Colorado

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

all unibroue beers are awesome, but this may be their finest offering. it pours a unique mahogany color, with a touch of something dark purple even in there. a nice white head stays around awhile, leaving lovely lacing down the glass. the nose of this beer is powerfully alcoholic, intemixed with a bouquet of fresh and dried fruits. plums, rasiins, candied pears, and figs come to mind, this is a rich nose. the yeast is also a classic belgian strain that really brings the smells together in a synergistic way. the flavor is equally complex and decadent, with the fruits taking center stage. its sort of sweet and thick like a port wine, but much brighter and lighter despite its full body and sticky texture. it finished boozy, and when it warms up its very intense, but this is a beer that opens up beautifully in the glass. it gets more and more yeasty to me, and less and less sweet. the mix of fruit and spice makes this a perfect winter warmer or holiday beer, although i dont think it is intended to be such. wonderful carbonation makes it more drinkable than it should be. this pairs well with red meat, boldly seasoned seafood, and caramely bread pudding. overall a world class example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 17:21:37 | More by StonedTrippin

Braz

Washington

4.45/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Deep dark ruby in color with three fingers of bubbly off white foam. Leaves a thin tan cap on top. Looks very lively. Smell of dark cherries, raisins, rum and sourdough. Bold flavors of fruits and a sort of cocoa taste. Slight sweetness. Full bodied and bubbly, alcohol warms you quickly but the alcohol taste is well hidden. Dry finish. Dynamite beer from one of my favorite styles.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 10:07:34 | More by Braz

deebo

Minnesota

3.2/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Year old bottle with a BB of 04-07-13

A-Pours a thick finger of light tan bubbly head with low retention and no lacing. Cloudy dark brown with ruby highlights.

S-Good enough to eat. Strong aromas of grape juice, raisins, estery fruit, very sweet malt.

T-Similiar to the aroma. I like sweet malty character but this one is over the top. Very ripe grape flavor. As it warms the taste softens and rounds out a bit nicer.

M-The carbonation tingle is high in this one. Alcohol is noticeable but at 9% ABV not over the top. Body is medium but a bit low for such a hight ABV beer, the carbonation seems to be taking away from the balance.

O-Perhaps this one would have been a better beer to consume fresh, with a little age on it, it is over the top sweet but would need to try a freshie to compare.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 02:27:13 | More by deebo

MarioM

California

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

12 oz poured into tulip

A: Dark with a slight deep cherry red color with a nice light brown head and slight cloudiness. Medium sized bubbles, very obvious carbonation with a head retention of less than a minute, after that almost no head is left over.

S: Sweet, raisins, dried cherries, slightly floral and very subtle alcohol notes.

T: Slightly sweet, fruity with some alcohol. Flavors reminds me of wine in a way. More on the fruity side but balance is just right, clean, no overpowering sweetness, fits the style very well.

M: Good and satisfying warm mouth feel that lingers between sips. Carbonation is just right and makes for a good mouth feel when sipping.

O: I'm enjoying this beer quite a bit. It feels good and smells great. Definitely trying again, currently aging a 750ml so we'll see how it does a year from now. Good, good beer...

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 04:51:48 | More by MarioM

AmitC

Indiana

4.45/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

My second Unibroue. Did not know the reputation when i bought those bottles.

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into my snifter.

Brown color while pouring and in the light. Deep mahogany to slightly dark brown in the glass. A hell lot of bubbles. One finger thick off white colored head, that persists really well, not as thick but still. Some lacing is left on the sides while drinking.

Smell: A lot like a mix of Belgian and doppelbock. Belgian yeast smells are the first thing that enter nose along with the clove smell. Some dry nuts, roasted malts and slight sweetness. Alcohol is missing and at 9% it is an excellent thing.

Taste: Very Belgian, yeast like. Some minor cloves, less than as suggested by nose. Some sweet malts. No bitterness. Nothing really specific. Very fruity taste inside the mouth. Semi dry finish.

Mouth feel: Easy on palate, very soft yet has some astringency related to high carbonation. An easy drinking beer otherwise.

Overall, a good brew, as usual. One thing that is very well hidden is its alcohol strength. At 9.0% it never feels like one. Neither in taste, nor in nose. Kudos here.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 22:52:17 | More by AmitC

KickbacksSteve

Florida

4.65/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Kickbacks in Jax. Poured into a snifter. Very light beige head on a deep mahogany body. Oily, clear lacing. Aroma dominated by a Belgian yeast, candi sugar licorice and spices. The spices are maybe some clove and white pepper? Taste includes sweet caramel malts, some fig, some overripe banana, and again, some spice that is hard to describe. A taste unique to this beer. Another classic by Unibroue.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2012 08:18:11 | More by KickbacksSteve

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a cloudy, deep amber color with about one finger of foamy tan head that remains throughout the beer.

The scent is of grassy malt, sweet sugar, sweet fruits, notes of chocolate and alcohol.

The taste is of sweet fruits, cherries, chocolate and caramel malt, bread, herbal hops, there
is some spice and very apparent alcohol presence.

Full body, crisp and a bit chewy, moderate carbonation.

This was a delicious beer with lots of really good flavor. I would definitely go for this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 14:08:00 | More by BeerCon5