Trois Pistoles - Unibroue

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

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.48/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Samuel Adams pint glass. Purchased in Wakefield, Rhode island.

A- Pours a dark mohagony body with a 1.5" mocha colored head that reduces to a thin white film of foam and leaves zero lacing.

S- Heavy acidic lemon zest, figs, bubblegum, freshly cut grass. All of these aromas go together quite well and make for a good introduction.

T- Sweet banana upfront, leading to some nice belgian spice notes. There's some brown sugar and fig notes in there as well. Rich and creamy.

M- Low carbonation, medium-high moutfeel. EXTREMELY smooth and drinkable.

I'm highly pleased with every aspect of this beer. From the first whiff to the last sip, it's quite an enjoyable experience. It's smooth and complex without being cloying. Recommendable.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 04:16:31 | More by gcamparone

atr2605

New York

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-pours a dark red amber color with an off white head with excellent retention that leaves a lace
S-plums, black cherry, candied sugar
T-rich plums and leads into the black cherry flavor.
M-medium bodied
O-Nice delicate flavors that are rich and complex with a smooth moutfeel. I've this numerous times but just got around to reviewing it. Great beer

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 02:35:58 | More by atr2605

Hoptometrist

Oregon

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

Served from the bottle into a tulip glass

A- Poured a dark mahogany color with tons of visible streaming carbonation, huge fluffy off-white ice cream like head with chunky lace.

S- Big belgian yeast and bubblegum aroma, clove, raisin, and cinnamon. Prominent yeast and spice notes in the nose

T- Big clove, belgian yeast, and bubblegum flavors at the forefront. Cinnamon, appleskin, and a rich maltiness.

M- Very high carbonation, nice alcohol warming on the finish, medium body, and a little sticky. Way too easy to drink.

O- This is an outstanding belgian strong dark ale and makes me wonder why I have not revisited Unibroue aside from La Fin Du Monde in such a long time.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 02:54:24 | More by Hoptometrist

Kremlock

Ontario (Canada)

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

A: Pours a 1/2 inch off white head that quickly falls to very low lacing. Beer has the colour of prune juice (dark brown with violet hues)

S: Cloves, cinnamon, spicy, raisins. A bit of a "Christmas" scent.

T: Raisins, clovy esters, caramel malt backbone with balanced bitterness. Chocolate on the finish.

M: High carbonation that has a sharpness that cleans the palate. Good dry finish with residual sweetness yet still balanced with bitterness.

O: A great beer all and all. Not too over the top on flavours yet they are all very present and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 01:26:50 | More by Kremlock

bishopdc0

Maine

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

Had in a trois pistols tulip at novare red

The beer is dark, brown In the light but otherwise black. The head is surprisingly light a offense which covers the top of the beer while lacing hangs to the side.

The nose is clearly Belgian, yeast, clove and other spices. The nose is much more aromatic as it warms.

The taste starts almost fruity which lingers and a big yeast clove and spice enter and dry the mouth. Not my favorite style but true and as good as any from Belgium.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2012 19:42:56 | More by bishopdc0

Chris_Cali_2o9

4.48/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bomber to a Tulip

A- Deep, dark, hazy copper, 1/2" off white head that quickly fades to lacing

S- Funky, sour cranberries, grapes, and raisins. Apple cider, red wine, banana, sour, alcohol

T- Very sweet. Plums, raisins, grapes, bananas, red wine, sour, candi sugar, medicine, caramel malts

M- Oily, creamy body, crisp carbonation

O- A malty red wine. That's the easiest way to describe this. It's packed with dark fruits, balanced by creamy caramel malts. For 9% abv, the alcohol is very tame and only makes a slight appearance at the end. I'm slowly starting to realize how much i like this style. This is a great example.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 01:19:06 | More by Chris_Cali_2o9

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

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

Poured into goblet.

A - Beautiful golden, brown, fizzy color. Superb lacing.

S - Complex aromas, lots of yeasty, bready, smells. Hints of alcohol.

T - Very smooth. Same flavors as smells. Balances out very well as it warms.

M - Excellent. Liquid bread.

O - Although not quite as good as some of the other Uni beers, it's still quite good. Will be a part of my rotation. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 02:45:23 | More by Beer-A-Lot

raynmoon

California

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

It's been far too long, here we go.

Not much of a head this time, but i've seen this beer more than I've seen most beers I've head, it's pretty. It's as standard and as beautiful as it gets when it comes to Belgian Dark Ales.

HUGE yeasty fruitiness. It smells like a fresh batch of bananas with some raspberries and dark sugar thrown in; it's hard to describe.

This beer is so perfect. You get this strong yeast presence, followed by a nice fruity malt bill; and it goes down smooth. No taste of alcohol. You may "feel" some of it on the way down, but there really is zero detection.

There are many a nostalgic moment attached to this beer. Very small room for improvement. I honestly do not understand why this does not carry a higher score.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 06:33:05 | More by raynmoon

Quackershnoc

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12-ounce bottle, served in a tulip glass
Appearance: it's pretty dark, kind of molasses colored; a thin, off-white head that has mostly disappeared after a minute or two, but some lacing remains all the way until the end
Aroma: sweet; there are some pretty clear dark fruit notes, maybe raisin or plum, smells a little boozy
Taste: kind of hard to describe; it's very smooth; despite its high ABV it does not taste much like alcohol; it starts very bright and moves more toward the dark fruit flavors; sweet throughout, but not overly so; finishes with a malty flavor that is quite nice and some chocolate; aftertaste is a little mixture of all the flavors; a nice hint of spice
Mouthfeel: a lot of carbonation, more than I would like; fairly thick or syrupy, coats the mouth well
Overall Impression: it gets much better as it warms up, the flavors come out more and the carbonation isn't as aggressive as it when it was colder; it is a nice fall beer, a little hearty and sure to warm you up some; it's got some layers of flavor in it that I cannot quite identify and had some trouble describing-a complex sipper (which seems to be something that Unibroue is known for); I think my favorite taste is the end, as all the flavors kind of come back together one last time as you swallow, but I think it smells even better than it tastes

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 04:26:40 | More by Quackershnoc

whendeathsleeps

Indiana

2.03/5  rDev -52.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

A- Pours a dark cola brown, two finger tan head.

S- I pick up on some kind of vegetable presence (sort of reminds me of V8), plum, bready.

T- More almost vegetable flavor. Not digging this one at all...it just tastes like it smells.

M- Watery, low carbonation.

O- Definitely not my thing. Drainpour all the way, and I hate pouring out beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 01:13:48 | More by whendeathsleeps

jtd1969

North Carolina

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

A - dark and light lacing, good carbonation

S - Pear, dark fruit and some sweet bread

T - Some stout like roastiness, Belgian yeast, raisin, spice, caramel

M - Medium body, low carbonation for style, but perfect for beer

O - OMG, what a beer, so so good... I had it on tap and what a delight... Wish I would have ordered a second one! It was so so good!!!

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2012 00:01:13 | More by jtd1969

vkv822

Oregon

3.98/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz : tulip

Pours nearly black, with deep amber highlights. The head is off-white, and starts out quite fizzy, and foaming into a thick, craggy, billowy head. Then dissipates to a creamy, half-inch foam across the glass. Light lacing.

Belgian yeast and candi sugar. Dark malts.

Subtle notes of dark fruit, cocoa, light roast and candi sugar blend nicely.

Medium, smooth body, low carbonation.

An enjoyable beer, the ABV is quite well hidden, even with the subtle, yet complex flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 08:11:24 | More by vkv822

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks Daftcaskbc!

Appearance. Pours a deep brown-red with two fingers of off-white head.

Smell. Belgian yeast, caramel, and nice dark fruits and raisins. Smells great.

Taste. Sweet caramel, fruity belgian yeast and some spices, plums and raisins.

Mouthfeel. Medium body, medium+ carboantion. Very smooth and creamy.

Overall. A very well made beer. The flavours are balanced nicely with enough compexity to be interesting, but still easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 02:39:02 | More by Rutager

RussBecker1

4.55/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Trois Pistoles is one of the most interesting beers I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. The flavoring is absolutely massive in itself. There are big hits of chocolate and smokey coffee, but they are complimented by a big hit of cherry and grape. It is a dessert beer that stands as a meal in itself. There is a ton of alcohol however, which shapes the beer very differently than anything I have ever had. The alcohol pairs hand in and with the deeper fruit notes creating a sweet wine finish. Trois Pistoles tasted like a fine port mixed with a delicious quad, I have not had much like it.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 15:20:02 | More by RussBecker1

NuclearDolphin

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Tulip Glass

Appearance - Dark Brown with a brown fizzy 2 finger head. There's a slight crimson tinge around the edge of the glass but aside from that it's very dark

Smell - Caramel, Cloves, Figs, Plums, Spices, and Malts. This smells surprisingly fruity, especially with it's plum scent. Overall, it's also different from other strong ales I've had before in terms of scent; However the smell is at the very least pleasant if not tolerable.

Taste - Plums, Cloves, Spices, Figs, Yeasts and Roasted Malts. Much like the smell, this is very sweet smelling. It does warm you up a bit due to the alcohol, but the flavor itself comes off as very smooth and enjoyable.

Mouthfeel - Very Light & thin. There's also some mild carbonation, and thankfully it adds to the flavor itself. Another plus is that it feels very crisp and refreshing.

Overall - For a Strong Ale, it's different and unlike any I've tried before, which is good or bad depending on who you are. As a beer, it's a nice enjoyable ale that you should check out.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 00:52:33 | More by NuclearDolphin

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

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

Pours dark brown with 2 fingers of creamy head.

Smell is sweet and spicy. Light pepper, loads of spice, sweet bread, hints of soft bruised fruit.

Plenty of spice in taste, cloves, more yeast than in the nose, ripe dark fruits, very little alcohol.

Medium bodied sipper

Outstanding, highly accessible brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 23:23:13 | More by TheMultiYeast

Serge

Alberta (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled. Dark reddish brown colour with a nice creamy off-white head. Malts, dry dark fruits, slight yeast and caramel in the aroma. The flavour is very full, dry dark fruits, caramel malts, vanilla, slight roasted twist along with berries and yeast. Also some spices in it.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 04:17:09 | More by Serge

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

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

Unibroue Trois Pistoles has a thin, beige, cola-style fizzy head and a dark, murky, bubbly, dark-brown appearance with lots of beige chunks floating about. The aroma is of fruit-cake fruit, dark bread, fudge, and spice. Flavor is of the same, with low bitterness. Mouthfeel is light and watery (surprisingly), and Unibroue Trois Pistoles finishes dry and ice tea-like. This is a strange ale, and I was a bit underwhelmed by it. It’s worth checking out, though.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 20:55:26 | More by RonaldTheriot

spokeydonkey

New York

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

Poured from a 12 bottle into a Duvel tulip glass.

A - Very dark brown (almost black) with a very minimal off-white head. Not nearly as much lacing as I'd expect from a Belgian dark.

S - Some roast notes and alcohol sharpness up front Pear and apple fruit behind that.

T - Surprising amount of roastiness all through, almost stout-like and smoky. Starts off sweet, followed up by fruitiness: apple and pear. Finishes with a lingering roast character.

M - Relatively low carbonation on this one. Medium body.

O - This one used to be one of my favorites. I haven't had it in a while and didn't review it. Having it again, it seems very roast-forward. Not sure if it's just this batch or if my tastes have changed, but the roast is a bit too dominant for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 22:23:04 | More by spokeydonkey

FrankyGee3

Kentucky

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

Appearance: Ebony in glass with a deep cherry wood color when held to the light; bouncy, deep tan head that sat two fingers high (barkeep did a very slow pour from the tap, and a bottle pour would likely produce three fingers). Laced on glass well. Head dissipated quickly to 1 CM, then disappeared within a few minutes.

Smell: Fruit aromas (largely fig, plum) along with maltiness; some phenols which dissipate quickly. Others have mentioned chocolate but, after three separate tastings, fail to find much if any.

Taste: Rich, smooth, fruity with perhaps a touch of coriander/citrus. Sweeter than expected, but not overly so. Fruitiness balances well with the ale bitters - each side presents well.

Mouthfeel: Coats well, surprisingly light - crisp, no oiliness, but smooth and felt everywhere on the tongue. One of the best ever for me with a mellow alcohol tang. While not a very carbonated drink, what carbonation there is sparkles in the mouth when sipped and contributes to a lighter mouthfeel, even surprisingly light for an abbey ale, but with substance - a delightful blend.

Overall: While described as an "Abbey Style Strong Dark Ale," it was not as strong tasting as expected. The lower alcohol warmth - especially for a 9% ABV ale - surprised me, as did the substantial fruit tastes. At times, the taste was a bit like a fortified digestif wine (say, a port or very fruity brandy) without the syrupy wine texture, but never lost it's beeriness; it also didn't have the nose-confusing, overwhelming alcohol delivery of a digestif. While not a fan of sweet beers, this is a nice blend of fruits and dark abbey ale which balances the best of both. Perhaps an all-time favorite for blending so many distinct flavors and characteristics in such a balanced way. In the end, I'd give it a 4.75 (I've yet to find a 5), but that's not an option here.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2012 19:40:22 | More by FrankyGee3

notchucknorris

California

4.05/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark brown color that's a near black in the glass. A nice one finger khaki head.

S: Lots of dark fruits, especially black cherry with some sweet malts underneath. Some hints of chocolate and alcohol as well.

T: A rich, almost bready mouthfeel with lots of Unibroue yeast, chocolate covered black cherries, raisin and some malty sweetness. Really good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 03:52:46 | More by notchucknorris

kagent777

Utah

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

Best before date of 3/24/14, this bottle was poured into my perfect pint.

Appearance: A rich deep brown with an off white cap that sat about three fingers high. Some sticky spotty lacing occurs.

Smell: Belgian yeast phenols and ripe fruit along with some brown sugar and nice toasted malts.

Taste: A rich beer. Nice smooth fruity note at first followed by malty, almost bready, sweetness. Even some flavors like chocolate on the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: This is an exceptionally smooth beer. The carbonation is lower while the body is medium to high. The smooth flavors really coat the mouth well.

Overall: This is a great example of this style of beer, very well made and easy to get. I am glad to have access to most of the Unibroue line.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 03:16:25 | More by kagent777

Dope

Massachusetts

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

Bottle states best before 08/27/12. Oh well!

A: A very dark brown pour with a bit of red in there. Large and fizzy light brown head. Fades at a moderate pace with good head retention, but minimal lacing.

S: Sweet dark fruits, mainly raisin, fig and grape. Some caramel and a hint of chocolate. Swear I get some oak but I'm not even if this oak-aged.

T: Super sweet and fruity up front. Loaded with grape, fig and raisin. A little apple and even melon in the middle. Sweetness fades away in the middle and it becomes almost borderline tart. It gets a little earthy and spicy at the same time. Ends a touch drying with more dark fruits. Maybe even some cherry in there?

M: Medium bodied, not as heavy as you'd expect. Fairly high carbonation cuts it a bit.

O: A super fruity BSDA. Most BSDAs are fruity to begin with, but this one is loaded with a variety of strong and sweet fruit flavors. Very complex, very nice balance and very tasty. Surprisingly mellow and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 02:32:15 | More by Dope

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

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

#92/100 on the beers of fame. slowly but surely...

The body is pitch black and a soda pop fizz has faded to black. no head whatsoever.

The smell has so many sweet dark fruits, its unreal. loads of burnt sugar, charred oak, brown rum, and molasses.

The taste is scary good. The carbonation is very prickly, much more than I expected after the flat look. Plums, prunes, and molasses come to mind. The slight hint of booze is like a sweet dark rum, but in a good way. Its sweet from the molasses and brown sugar flavors. Not a ton of malt flavors shine through, but this is an amazing dessert beer for cooler days.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 21:31:06 | More by VncentLIFE