Trois Pistoles - Unibroue

DonDirkA

Arizona

4.9/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Nose of plums, caramel, prunes, burnt sugar, and some toffee. Taste is sweet, grapes, caramel, brown sugar, dark fruit and molasses. This is awesome, one of my favorite Unibroue beers, maybe my favorite. Good stuff. I feel like there's some ginger and cinnamon in there too.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 07:12:07 | More by DonDirkA

the42ndtourist

Ontario (Canada)

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

wow. this is really really good. a ton of head, but lots of flavour for it to hold. and excellent dark appearance, with a good dose of peppery spice over the fruity flavour. Yes, the alcohol's there, but it's the good type of strong. I really liked this beer. .... now to find some magnums of it.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2002 17:42:47 | More by the42ndtourist

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

Hefe

Maryland

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

Sampled on 9/5/03.

Appearance: A color somewhere between brown and black that gives the impression that something lurks within. Pours with a tannish head that eventually gives way to a bit of lacing.

Smell: Malty and complex, with notes of cherry, vanilla, wheat, orange peel, plum, and a yeasty breadiness.

Taste: Complex yeastiness, reminds me of Bollinger Special Cuvee in a weird way. Plum, raisin, roasted malts, peach/apricot.

Mouthfeel: Again a bit like champagne, but with enough body that the carbonation isn't overwhelming. Big alcohol stays in the background.

Drinkability: A lot of factors at play that could slow you down, but everything here is in perfect balance. Bravo!

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2003 15:46:41 | More by Hefe

dauss

Colorado

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

I picked up a 750ml corked bottle of this brew. Pours a cloudy orange red. Massive light yellow-brown head with a very gentle
pour. Dissapates at a moderate pace but never fully disappears. Smells a lot different than other beers I've had. If you let it warm up in the mouth you can faintly taste the alcohol. Its a little fruity, very malty, and has a very good wine-like aftertaste. With a 9% ABV, it is deceivingly drinkable. A very fine brew indeed.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2004 05:10:49 | More by dauss

DaveGood

Pennsylvania

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

This beer poured a dark, rich brown with a thin tan head that did not subside throughout the tasting. The aroma can best best characterized as very malty, with a nice fruit scent and a hint of chocolate. The taste is extremely smooth and filled with dark roasted malts, sweet fruits, and a slight hint of chocolate. The high alcohol content is very well masked by the overall rich taste of this beer. The mouthfeel is extremely pleasant due to the slight carbonation and the drinkability is dangerously high. This could very well, without a doubt, become one of my all-time favorite beers!

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2004 21:28:56 | More by DaveGood

aaronbeach69

Illinois

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

WOWWW!!!!

this beer is amazing, and I don't say that lightly

appearance: Dark cloudy red/brown/black depending on how much light you give it, with a light head that goes away relatively quickly. Not too thick, just a little more thick than a regular lager.

Smell: the smell was the first thing that really caught me, sweet and sparkly... definetely fruity... strawberries that has to be it!! maybe a melon of some sorts. Something even more sweet I can't put my finger on, the taste fills your mouth...

Mouthfeel: A SWEET warm aftertaste glows stronger and stronger for the first few seconds after you swallow, the beer is exceptionally creamy feeling for how light it looks and seems to flow. Bubbly on your tounge :)

Taste: I can't even note any alchohol... except for a great tinge I feel on the sides of my tounge. Defintely a beer made for the edges of your tounge, the middle does not do it justice, so swish it around carefully not to disturb it and make it bubble too much. The best taste is the sweet fuity-ness, or should I say the exquisite way the beer seems to flow from one sweet taste to the next, one gulp of this beer contains many more sweet fruits/spices than I can identify, I can identify this though... they are so good the dynamic variance of stimulation nearly overloaded me and sent a chill down my back, making me shake.

I know I'm a newbie but this has been one of the greatest beer experiances of my life... and it is still going on... I have only finished half the bottle. Now leave us alone, I have fallen in love

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2004 02:58:20 | More by aaronbeach69

Bierschenker

Belgium

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

My first Canadian and very convincing. I had this one on the twentieth of May 2005 at the Delirium Café.
The TP has a very dark amber-red colour with a thin white head that seems to stay. I got this one served in a Unibroue Tulip glass.
It has a very strong odour that reminds my of malt, raisins, dark chocolate and bitter tones.
In contrast to the violent smell, the beer tastes very gentle and mild. Almost as soft and subtle as silk. A Chocolate and malt taste with a cold creamy aftertaste. And traces of citrus fruit and spices. Not a lot of carbonation.
The mouth feel is very gentle, like drinking the cream on top of a cappuccino.
The strong dark ale is my favourite type of beer and for the moment this is the best beer I have ever had in that category.

Ut Vivat, Crescat, Floreat!

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2005 23:15:03 | More by Bierschenker

sevenredrabbits

Maine

4.88/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

750ml Bottle. Poured into goblet style glass. 3 finger head developed but quickly dissipated into lacing that lasts until finished. Smell: Plums. Definitely plummy. Taste: Cannot describe. Palate not refined enough, but...Very damned good. Mouthfeel: I'd agree that it's harsh. Not bad though. I'd definitely bring a few bottles of this to a family gathering.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2006 16:11:10 | More by sevenredrabbits

seebus

Ohio

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

this is a bottle that i have had in my cellar for a year, and i'm enjoying it out of my chimay goblet.

A - beautiful deep, warm coffee color with a fat pancake head

S - mellow spiced, dried fruit. the effect? think about when a cartoon character would float along the wafting aroma of a cooling pie

T - slightly sweet and dark; warm and complex

M - perfect, imho

D - i am a big fan of this beer, and though this has only aged for a year, it has added quite a bit, creating a wonderfully rounded brew.

forgive me for not spending any more time describing the tastes and smells of this bottle. i am pairing this with some rembrandt aged gouda and the combination is really fantastic. if you've never had this beer, all i can say is that it is the best digestible bargain on the planet (the sticker on my bottle shows i picked it up last year at world market for $5.99!). after the first sip i started planning on picking up more bottles and putting them away in my cellar. enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2006 02:58:56 | More by seebus

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

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

750ml corked & caged bottle, served in a Chimay goblet. Slow pour, as I prefer to keep the yeast in the bottle.

A - dark brown color with a lot of carbonation evident in the glass. Tiny bubbles kept rising to form and maintain a steady ring.

S - raisin/date, malt and yeast aromas fill the nose.

T - delicious tasting brew, sweet malty flavors dance on the tongue with a finish that's dry and smooth leaving a sweet fig after taste.

M - medium/full bodied with delicately crisp, clean carbonation.

D - exceptional brew; it doesn't get much better than this.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 02:15:29 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

HeyItsChili

South Carolina

4.88/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

a - Pours dark crimson/amber with a small tannish colored head.

s - smells fantastic. sweet, slightly roasted malt, notes of raisins

t - exceptional. sweet and fruity, grainy, malty

m - medium body, little carbonation

d - this is a fantastic beer, a 4 pack makes you feel warm and fuzzy, and is a bargain for the quality you get.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2008 00:54:54 | More by HeyItsChili

DmanGTR

New York

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

Re-review: December 30, 2008
A - Gentle pour yielded a dark mahogany brown beer with a piling of off white head that retained beautifully in an Ommegang goblet. 4.5
S - Hints of mellow citrus with port, figs, and ripe plums. Some spiciness of coriander too. Excellent. 4.5
T - Initial sweetness of caramel malts metamorphs into a winelike taste of dark fruits. Toffee and a light roastedness becomes uncovered but is quickly finished with a bittersweet ending with grapefruit citrusiness. Aftertaste is abundant in alcoholic tones, port wine, and carob. 5
M - Full bodied and well carbonated. Quite smooth, sits well on the palate. 5
D - An extremely drinkable beer despite ABV. I can definitely do a few in an evening. 5
Overall - A most exquisite beer by a most exquisite brewery. This is an excellent beer to accompany sharp cheddar cheese or as an after-dinner dessert. Truly amazing. One of the finest Belgian Dark Ales I have ever had the pleasure to drink.
---
Original March 19, 2008
A - poured dark brownish with garnet red hues in the light. Small bubbles make a 1" head with excellent retention and decent lace. 4
S - Sweet fruits of figs, and raisins, caramel malts, some spiciness as well. 4.5
T - Caramel, raisins, plums, and spices. Balanced with a malty, portlike finish. I feel like I am doing this beer an injustice by trying to analyze it! 5
M - dark, heavier beer that sits well on the palate. Alcohol is well hidden and carbonation is very light. 5
D - a very good beer to enjoy over a conversation or with some currant cakes. 4.5
Overall - I don't even know what to say. This is such an immensely good beer that I just want to sit back and enjoy it. Great after dinner! Well worth the money. I have a few of these aging right now :)

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2009 01:01:14 | More by DmanGTR

mhatters

Pennsylvania

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

had it on-tap at my house poured in a Duvel glass

An absolute brilliant Belgian style ale.

Appearance: Beautiful dark and deep with a hint of rose in the body, great toasty color head

Smell: Sugary, malt, faint cherry and slight tannins

Taste: Crisp, slightly alcoholic,with cherry and a touch of chocolate; good finish

Mouth-feel: perfect,lightly carbonated, soft and sweet

Drinkability: perfect, can drink this all day, a classic

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2009 21:57:59 | More by mhatters

undeadozzy

Pennsylvania

4.88/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Got in a bottle at a local bar. Served in a goblet.

Appearance: Poured a deep crimson color, almost like blood. Had a nice thick cream colored head that lingered but dematerialized after a few minutes.

Smell: Very intriguing. Smelled more like a fine wine then a beer. Definitely attractive.

Taste: Delicious. The wine-like smells it emitted are instantly tasted upon the first sip. Fruity and bold, with a some sharp tones to make it noticed. Tastes great overall.

Mouth Feel: While it tastes great, it is a very thick beer. I normally drink stouts, so I'm used to thicker beers, but this was a different kind of thick. I can almost say it was "syrupy", but not in a bad way, it fit with the taste of the beer.

Drinkability: Definitely a dangerously drinkable beer because of it's fruity tones that hide its ABV make it a deceptively delectable brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2010 05:09:11 | More by undeadozzy

gabedivision

New York

4.88/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured from 12oz bottle to a Duvel tulip glass. This beer pours dark very dark with a thin white head and white bubbles shooting to the top. Almost has the appearance of a dark cola or root beer, and has a nice crackling fizz . The smell on the nose is absolutely amazing, almost like fresh figs and berries chopped and sitting above your upper lip. Very rich,fruity and malty. Very strong spicy sweet, fruity taste with a nice presence of alcohol. This beer is extremely drinkable, delicious.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2011 02:46:49 | More by gabedivision

Scribbles

Texas

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

1pt 9oz bottle into glass mug.

Aroma: Malts, dark bread, and caramel.

Appearance: Dark amber deceivingly simple, with light lacing.

Flavor: Spicy, carmel malt, rasins.

Mouthfeel: Crisp carbonation. But mellowing and becoming a smooth dessert.

Overall: A very good ale. One of my favorite beers. Decievingly alcoholic, I suddenly feel warm on my ears.. very easy to drink a whole large bottle in a sitting.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 06:44:36 | More by Scribbles

keytown

Kentucky

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

A - Pours a leather brown with a 1 finger white head.

S - Tart cherries, hint of chocolate, dark fruits & some spice.

T - Subtle cherry tartness, sweet caramel & chocolate malt goodiness!! Grassy hops, but not overwhelming at all.

M - Very smooth & medium bodied.

O - This a complex, but well balanced & drinkable beer. The alcohol is very deceiving in the beer, would never know it was 9%. This is an outstanding beer & a must have for all beer enthusiast!

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2012 04:36:35 | More by keytown

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

mophie

Delaware

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

This could very well be my favorite Unibroue (at least so far, anyway). Deep hazy garnet with an ultra-foamy tan head. Smells of apples and cloves, with a touch of pepper. Smooth, fruity, spicy taste, with a bit of an alcohol burn in the finish (quite nice, actually). The overall effect is quite warming and pleasant. Yum! I continue to be very impressed with these guys.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2002 19:01:34 | More by mophie

irishmoss

Ohio

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

First off, wow. A beautiful brownish-ruby color with a nice tan head that dissipates somewhat, but a nice thin line remains. The taste was somewhat fruity to begin with (banana-nut bread), then finished spicy and crisp. Perhaps the taste was more like a spicy port wine. There was definitely something about the flavor that I can't even imagine to appropriately describe, and I loved it. The drinkability of this dark ale was surprisingly high. I'm certainly a huge fan and I'll be buying this one many, many more times.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2003 10:02:26 | More by irishmoss

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

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

Another gothic Francophone painting on this label to match the motif of the one on Maudite. Like it's heralding a dark omen. In fact it's trying to say that it is fiendish how good this ale is, so beware of your mortal soul, as you soon may just lose it to this bottle.

Poured from a brown 750 ml bottle, it is a heavenly cherry oak tone, frothy tan head that recedes to a thick ring and some lacing. Nose contains cherries, caramel, spices, mild herbal tones. Flavour is immediately that of sweet malt, sour cherry, some citrus, a bit grassy, a bit woody, then on to a spicy finish, some floral hops, and a boozy sherry-like aftertaste (to be expected with the 9% abv). The flavour then comes back again with a caramel/toffee taste that lingers in the mouth long after it's been swallowed. This ale is utterly remarkable, only the second time I have ever tried it. I am kicking myself now, as I'll soon be setting some bottles aside to mature. If I were a genie, this is the bottle I'd choose to live in.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2003 04:14:02 | More by IronDjinn

necoadam

Connecticut

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

Poured out a brownish/amber color with a little bit of carbonation in it. Aroma consisted of a lot of ripe fruit with some malts mixed in. A little wiff of some grapes and rum mixed in as well. Very nice. Taste was pretty much the same as the aroma. Also some earthy tones kinda came into the middle I've noticed with some ever so slighty spicy taste for good measure. The only complaint I have is that it's a little too thin. But other than that it's an exceptional beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2004 02:05:48 | More by necoadam

Matthew

Connecticut

4.85/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer has become one of my favorites. What an amazing beer! Pours a very dark brown with a light tan head. Smells incredibley sweet. Immediatley recognized some nice plum and prevelant cherry aromas. Nice light chocolate character that seemed to be wrapped in the sweet fruity flavors of the plum and cherry with a bit of a tartness that sits on your tongue and stays on its way down. Malty, yeasty, and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2005 18:53:52 | More by Matthew

Golden2wenty1

Wisconsin

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

Picked up a single at Whole Foods Market here in Madison. My first Unibroue...uhhh....brew.

Pours a murky, dark, cloudy, rusty mahogany that only allows the faintest light to pass through the edges below a sturdy off-white head that vanishes under the 9% abv weight. Smell is...well, Belgian...dark fruits, sweet malts, a bit of olive. Taste....wow....starts off like a good Belgian dark, plums and raisins abound, but instead of the funky, alcoholic olive aftertaste I've grown accustomed to in a Belgian, I was greated with a sweet, crisp fruity/malty aftertaste that really sat well with me. Very subtle, but that's why it's so brilliant and mysterious. Mouthfeel is crisp and refreshing, drinkable to no end. This beer really crept up on me. Its unassuming start transitioned into a real treat. This beer somehow makes it into my top three all-time. Kudos, Canada.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2005 06:21:07 | More by Golden2wenty1