La Terrible - Unibroue

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Winter beer seasonal availability. Very dark color in beautiful bottle. 750 ml too much, a smaller bottle would be just right. Can taste the alcohol, and bitterness. Alcohol not as masked as other Unibroue's. Can substitute for an average wine earlier in the meal.

Had another bottle 1.5 years later and it's spiciness and yeastiness went
well with cheese. Upgraded.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2003 13:59:55 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.3/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Roasted hazelnut that betrays a hint of crimson when backlit with weak January sunshine. Orange edges add some amount of visual interest. The crown isn't impressive in the least. It's toasted tan in color and lacks any sort of quality texture or stickiness. It looks worse over time and never does grace the glass with any lace. Only the beer's color allows the appearance to be granted an above average score.

While I like the aroma, it isn't what I expected. I would think that a Belgian strong dark, especially one called La Terrible, would be more dark malty than this. It's fig and bruised apple fruity with a pleasing amount of clove spice from the yeast. More complexity would be welcome.

The flavor gets things solidly back on track. I wish the beer smelled like it tastes, but then the latter is always more important than the former. This 2004 edition is really drinking fine right now. The 'best by' date on the label is 08-08-2007, while the brewery's website says the bottle should be good for 10+ years. I decided not to take a chance and popped it open today.

More than most Unibroue products, La Terrible actually tastes Belgian. It's a wonderful version of the style that compares favorably with some of the best I've ever had. For whatever reason, the flavor is darker and richer than the nose suggested it would be. Whatever complexity was missing has been found. Each mouthful is bursting with black raspberries, raisins, cherry tobacco, molasses and dark candi sugar.

Weaving in and out, tying it all together into a neat little package, is a spectacular clove and cardamom-intensive yeastiness that becomes even more bold as I get into the bottom half of the bottle. La Terrible is a little sweeter than most BSDAs, but that's how I prefer beer of this style to be. Tangy and spicy make sure that sweet doesn't get out of control. Warming brings about an almost unfathomable amount of depth. I hope 2004 wasn't the final year of brewing because I'd love to buy a a case of this stuff and lay it down for a few years.

I just realized that I haven't commented on the alcohol. That's because it's nowhere to be found on the palate. It is, however, beginning to make my head spin, so I'd better quit gulping and start sipping. Contrary to the mouthfeels on most Unibroue beer (which I find to be too light) this one is perfect for the style. It has a minor amount of chewiness and a lightly sticky finish. It also has a Belgian-like amount of carbonation that is further reason to applaud its authenticity... never mind the country of origin.

This stunning beer is, by far, my favorite Unibroue offering and is the best beer I've ever had from the Great White North. It's a classic BSDA that I would have sworn hailed from Belgium if I had encountered it in a blind taste test. Forget the overall score, it deserves to be thought of as a '4.5' beer at least. La Terrible is a great name, but a more appropriate one would be La Fantastique.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2007 23:04:53 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had not had this one in a long time, and certainly had never reviewed it but running across its path again lately made me think about it and decide it was time for a revisit. Served cold and poured into a small pint glass.

The pour was dark, nice dark brown color with some light ruby highlights when held up to the glass. Nice head of off white clings to the sides of the glass for all that it is worth. Big notes of prunes, dark fruits and light grain are the most notable right out of the gate. Warming brings this to the forefront even more so as the richness and depth of the aroma come forward. Each sip brought a different nuance to the table, dark fruit, figs, plums; pears are all well represented here. Really nicely done I have to admit. Nice big malts and a dry, almost spicy finish leaving you instantly looking around for more.

Overall I was impressed. This really a top notch and very well done example from Unibroue. I would have no trouble going this route again; in fact I cannot wait to.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2010 15:41:11 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Rustico - Alexandria (feels weird to have to specify the city now!) Reviewed from notes.

Pours a nice dark brown with a light tan head. Some lace as it falls down my glass. Nose brings a touch of booze along with some light dark fruits and some dark candy sugar. The taste adds in a bit of darkened sugar or caramel...maybe some molasses. Good dark fruits with a bit of sweetness. Medium feel with good carbonation. This is a nice example of the style, and it seems like it would age quite well.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2010 14:00:13 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle - $8.48 at Sherlock's in Marietta, Georgia. Best Before: 2-26-2012.

Appearance: Pours an opaque, walnut brown body with an appropriately tall, foamy, light tan head.

Smell: Sweet-scented, malty nose coming across as a plated up Shoofly Pie for dessert along with some secondary notes of dark fruits and spice.

Taste: Dark, not-quite-roasty maltiness with flavors of molasses, dark brown sugar, dark candi sugar, and sweetened cocoa-flavored coffee. Burst of black cherry, sour cherry, and cooked raisin fruitiness. Earthy spiciness with a hint of black pepper and ground cardamom. Small touch of alcohol warmth, though, as it warms somewhat, it becomes a moderate pinch of alcohol warmth. Finishes dry but also malty with a taste of, well, again, I'd say Shoofly Pie, but I feel that reference would be entirely lost on most.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Well carbonated with a tingly, altogether bubbly mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Paired remarkably well with the movie "Casino". I'd pair the last third with some food to see how it goes, but I only have yogurt and ramen, so... Easily one of the better Unibroue brews I've had, but, sadly, not one I often see around in Georgia. Ah well, such is life. Drinks surprisingly easy for purportedly being above 10%.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2009 03:52:59 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a cola brown color with a tan head that persists beautifully with splashy lacing scattered across the chalice

Smell: Caramel, dark fruit, pungent spice, balsa wood, funky yeast and alcohol

Taste: Starts with a rum-soaked fruity aspect, combined with chocolate and caramel; mid-palate, there is a phenolic, herbal balance; the finish is relatively dry, with some residual sweetness

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light and carbonated for such a big beer

Drinkability: So powerful and complex, it is difficult to drink very much of this

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2006 22:30:53 | More by brentk56

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle - Poured a pitch-black beer with a nice huge dark head. Carbonation is excellent and aroma is really vinous with alcohol also perceptible. Complex flavor that includes spice, raisin and a bit of roastiness. Overall, this is a great beer that could rival some of the great strong Belgian ale but the alcohol flavor is bit too strong and should have been subtler.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2004 14:51:39 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A great Belgian Dark Strong Ale that differs from the Trappist varieties quite a bit- but is no lesser in quality.

La Terrible begins with a dark brown, purple-ish glow. Though dark, the beer does show some light along with its modest haze. A timid blanket of foam rises and covers the beer while omitting lacing. The look is good but not great.

Aroams are very fruity with plumbs and grapes; backed by a foundation of pilsner malts, dark candi sugar, and raison-y malts this beer gives a lot of aromatic qualities.

Flavors of sweet malts and sugars give the impression of cola, bread crusts, and subtle pilsner malts. But the bread-and-butter of the beer lies in the yeast which delivers a punch of fruity esters (plumbs, grapes, raisons, figs, dates, nuts, and other stone fruits). Phenols give light woodiness or smokiness while the alcohols ride a fine line with fusal notes.

Though quite dry and warming, the beer delivers a digestable feel that is very easy to drink; far too easy for the alcohol punch that the beer delivers. The beer is nearly effortless to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2005 13:06:22 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep deep brown with a great slight off white sticky head,aroma is fresh and malty sweet with a light smokey note.Taste has bunch of different compnents definent raisin and candied sugar with smokiness that lingers in the finish along with some ever so slight tartness.Its been awhile since I have had a Unibroue beer until today and they were well missed.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2004 00:50:48 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

La Terrible delivers an opaque black body with burgundy highlights beneath a long-lasting head of rocky light tan foam. The retention is good, and it slowly drops to a wide collar and lacy surface covering but leaves little lacing (most likely due to it's 10.5% abv). The nose is yeasty and spicy (coriander, black pepper?) over some dryish malt with a light touch of fruit in the background. It's lightly zesty in the mouth with a very fine, natural carbonation that warms to become creamier and smooth. The flavor mirrors the aroma with a bit more malt and fruit added to it. It's a bit sugary in its flavor, but not "sweet" as it's balanced by drying alcohol and a solid bitterness. The malt is a touch caramelish with a slight dark-chocolate-bordering-on-roasty note (dark fudge or brownie-like); and there's some fruit involved as well (plum/prune, dark berries, black cherry). It finishes dry with a clear note of alcohol and some residual malt and fruit. Quite nice!

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2003 00:10:16 | More by NeroFiddled

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: pours out plummish, but when I look at the results, it's an unmitigated, solid black, fully opaque, with a finely fizzy, buzzingly carbonated, toasty-tan head.

Aroma: sadly, I mostly get a cola-ish impression, something I like to avoid in beer, but also with dark fruits, and a bittersweet coffee-ish impression.

Taste: heavy, dark, and quickly weighing in with the alcohol component. A well-inegrated collection of flavors, for none truly stands out over any other, all blending terribly well....spicy, sparkly, dark, fruity, roasty, toasty, ...well-rounded, but extra-abominable in it's overwhelming flavor and alcohol.

This is one rich, delicious, dark, and rewarding ale. I can't quite place it above Maudite or Trois Pistoles, who have their own unique charms, which could never be overshadowed or eclipsed by this ebony delight, but this particular Belgian-style black ale is in a class of it's own. Wow! "Terrible" in only the best way. Yum, yum, yum, yum!!!

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2003 10:52:01 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a deep black color with a thick tan head. The aroma is great. It is full of sweet dark malts with a bit of a Belgian style zing. The taste is far from "terrible." Again, it boasts a number of dark malts that contribute a sweet roasted flavor. There also is a unique tangy black liquorice flavor. It has that Belgian style taste that only makes the presence of an elevated abv. disappear. This has great mouthfeel. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This drinks very well; another kick ass selection from Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2004 01:51:24 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Duvel tulip. Beer is brown and dark with a tan head that is thin and leaves some lacing on the glass. Carbonation is moderate and steady. Looks good.

Aroma is classic Unibroue. Its yeasty, sweet, caramelly, and nice.

Beer is medium bodied. Its sweet and has some good fruit esters in the beer. It tastes really nice, another good Belgian style beer from Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 03:17:50 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark reddish-brown color with an off-white head. The aroma is strong dark fruit with some Belgian candy sugar, roasted malt, molasses, chocolate and caramel malt mixed in. The flavor is just as nice. I get a ton of dark fruit - cherries, grapes, plums - as well as roasted malt, brown sugar and caramel. The alcohol is well hidden for a beer of this alcohol amount. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 03:46:09 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a dark brown/burgandy color with a fomay, bubbly, light-brown, three-finger head that left some good lace.

S - It smelled of dried fruit, like raisins. Also, a plum aroma. It had malty and floral notes, too.

T - It tasted of dried fruit (raisin) and had I nice malty sweetness. There were also hints of clove and spices.

M - It was soft and smooth. A medium to heavy-bodied beer with a warm alcohol presence.

D - This is another outstanding beer from Unibroue. It holds up well to all of their other beers and other beers of this style.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2008 01:57:06 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is cloudy and very dark amber (near black) in color and poured with a creamy beige head.
S: Aromas of dark fruits stand out prominently in the nose.
T: The taste is very similar to the smell and complex. It has a slight amount of sweetness with flavors of dark fruits and hints of spices and yeast.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied and very smooth and creamy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
D: The beer is incredibly drinkable and goes down very smoothly.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 20:58:02 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.28/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sampled February 2004
A strong dark fruit aroma wafts from my glass as I pour. It is a deep amber-ruby to black color & is topped by a light brown head. Has a spicy Belgian aroma as well as a hint of alcohol in the nose. Lightly sweet with notes of of burnt raisin and some dried plum in the taste. It has a hint of acidity to it that is slightly reminiscent of cranberries. Fairly soft in character, it is a well integrated beer that is balanced very well between the competing elements. There is a certain spiciness here that seems to be a product of the various higher alcohols, the ethanol is here as well, in the finish. This is a very light beer for 10.5%, even if it is by volume. I do like this beer, but I feel that it could improve quite a bit if it were cellared for a few years.

Sampled September 2003
The aroma is good, I smell rum, raisin and dark malt. This is a very light bodied beer, a great example of the light bodied Belgian beer style that will sneak up on you if you are not careful. The beer is pretty dry but there is a bit of sweetness that adds to the complexity of this brew. There is a hint of chocolate malt, a raisin flavor, and it finishes with a bit of alcohol. A light, tasty, easily quaffable beer, which is a dangerous combination.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2003 20:26:43 | More by Gueuzedude

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Saw this at my local shop and thought it'd be cool to get my friend two bottles of this on his sons 2nd birthday to prep him for the Terrible Twos. He loved the idea and we broke open a bottle that night.

The beer poured out as a muddy brown color with a light tan head on it. The nose was spicy and had a bit of a booze smell going on. The taste was really good at first then it had a bit of a metallic flavor, I was worried that this was going to be the way the rest would taste but it went away. The flavors that remained were of spice, booze and some earthy bread in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel wasn't too bad, overall a pretty decent brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2011 01:02:03 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.45/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very cool bottle, BBD 06/08/2007 (couldn't wait!!)

Pours black with a large thick, fluffy tan head that fills the top thrid of my chimnay glass. Good lacing and head retention

Smell: huge earthy, fruitty (plums) odors

Taste: fruitiness, tartness, sourness & leather. If I close my eyes, i swear I'm somewhere in the Andrennes. Sweetness & oakiness in the finish

MF: Effervescent, but too much alcohol for good balance

Not a good session beer to be sure, but drinsk good for its ABV . Great with strong cheese or these spicy green chille pistachios I'm enjoying right now! Worth the $$

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2006 02:31:33 | More by russpowell

jwc215

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Best before 06-05-2011, poured into a Unibroue tulip glass:

Pours almost black with dark ruby highlights when held up to the light. A thick tan head fizzles to a lasting cover. Some trailing lace slides down the glass.

The smell begins with a sharp spiciness that mellows as it progresses. Dark fruits (plums/figs) mix with sweet bubblegum. Earthy and grainy notes flow in and out.

Sharp, almost raw, alcohol greets the first sip, but soon mellows and fades away after the first couple of small sips. As it warms, it takes on vinuous characteristics. Dark fruit, molasses, bubblegum sweetness is complimented by spiciness and earthiness. Figs/plumbs mix with strawberries to give the fruitiness a unique character. Finishes with a dry, spicy kick.

Quite a bit of carbonation gives it a prickly sensation at first. But, this too mellows. It remains fluffy, but with something to it.

Well, La Terrible is not terrible at all - It's a delicious sipper - and a slow sipper to be sure. A nice, complex brew, though I don't know that it's one of my favorites from this great brewery - Still in all, I like it!

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2007 11:36:13 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cracked this open at C'est What in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The label's import agent (Unibrew USA - heh) is listed as being in Shelbourne, Vermont. Quite a circuitous route to get a beer that comes from ostensibly the same country in which I'm currently sitting at a bar...

This beer pours a very dark mahogany hue, with slight reddish edges, and a huge amount of creamy, puffy, light beige head, which leaves a thin ring of lace as it dissipates. It smells of that typical Unibroue yeast, dark sweet malt, coriander, banana, and spicy floral hop notes. The taste is big sweet dark fruity malt, mildly yeasty banana, dry earthy hops, and a wee bit of booze. The carbonation is moderate, with a dense, sticky body, and it finishes off-dry, with a somewhat clammy, sticky fruitiness.

A wonderfully balanced big boy beer, the effect worthy of its moniker.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2009 22:07:12 | More by biboergosum

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to my friend Dan for sharing this. This is a heck of a beer - very big, but well balanced. Interestingly, I had this next to Eel River's Climax Noel, which shared some of the character.

Anyways, this Belgian style had a mix of vanilla bean, plum wine, and mild clove and spice. It was a little heavy, but on par for the style and strength. This is a great beer to share and sip from a red wine glass. There's subtle berry fruit flavors and mellow Belgian spices all building to create a deliciously big beer. Check it out.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2010 01:19:52 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I am drinking this from a 750mL bottle in The Chimay goblet (like The Pennsylvania State University, the goblet has earned the capital 'T'). The ale came from the fridge cold and has progressively warmed up.

Appearance: Nice midnight black color when poured. No discernable red hints noted. Decent head when poured but none left shortly thereafter.

Smell: The smell of spices (curacao, coriander, cardamum) make themselves known. The cardamum especially (also a component of Edition 2004) is an exotic tasting/smelling spice that really adds a lot to the beer.

Taste: Again, the spices make themselves known, providing an explosion in the mouth that gives way to a long finish. The curacao and cardamum play nicely together.

Mouthfeel: The ale is highly carbonated, allowing the bubbles to cleanse the mouth with each sip. Let the beer sit on your tongue and the spices make themselves abundantly known.

Drinkability: At 10.5% ABV, this is not a brew for the faint of heart. As it is only sold in 750 mL bottles, one is forced to enjoy 2 12 oz bottles so there is an inherent drinkability requirement.

I've read forums that this beer is coming off of the market. If that is the case, stock up as it is a keeper.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2005 03:22:21 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared over great beer conversation with aaronh at D's Sixpack. Appearance: Pours a very dark brown not black but damn near close, the tan head forms fully to dwindle down leaving no lace, awww. Aroma: I know this is going to sound weird but the fruit tones or port that I am getting are very reminiscient of Welch's grape soda it definitely lingers and melds well with the dark chocolate tones and touch of anise thrown in there. Taste: Syrup sweetness infused with fruit tones, bready yeast slight chocolate finish and a more ascertable anise tone in the flavor than in the scent. Finishes very nice succulent flavors perfect dark belgian strong ale. Mouthfeel: Medium body higher spritzy carbonation, once again our friends from Quebec do the Belgian brewing traditions well. Drinkability: Very smooth flavorful hard to sense the 10.5% abv making this one big beer in the faccade of being an easy drinking quaffer, I liked it.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2003 16:02:08 | More by WVbeergeek

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a deep brown with a nice dirty white head

S: Vinous grape and slight alcohol aroma and molasses

T: A sweet refreshing kick characteristic of champagne initially. Delicious molasses undertones mesh beautifully with the vinous taste. Hints of blackberries, plums and strawberries. Leaves with a slightly sour/bitter aftertaste. Abv is detectable, but not dominant.

M: Absolutely amazing. This beer has a ridiculously low viscosity, yet it moves in my mouth like a thicker beer would. It is astoundingly smooth and incredibly refreshing.

O: Great. It is soothing and delicious, very easy to finish.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2012 01:54:17 | More by barleywinefiend