Don De Dieu - Unibroue

GossageBrewery

Missouri

4.99/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured this Belgian Strong Pale Ale from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Pored a hazy orange color, produced a average white head, nice retention and it left an average amount of lace on the glass. The aroma consisted of malted grain, toffee, pear juice and white pepper like spice. Medium in body, this ale had a pale malted base, fruity notes, apricot and pear come to mind, there are also subtle notes of white pepper, and grassy hops. Dry Finish, creamy smooth mouthfeel. One of the top Belgian style beers I have sampled- This brew has earned an entry in my personal top 10 list. Outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 18:14:36 | More by GossageBrewery

AngusOg

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-18-2013 23:33:08 | More by AngusOg

jbarletto

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%

05-18-2013 14:53:28 | More by jbarletto

joesmithrealname

Connecticut

4.93/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

So, here I am, outside. It's a beautiful night,no clouds....complete Star field. Bit of the glow from the airport in East Granby,Connecticut.
I am outside because my landlord switched our electrical service to save us money. What she forgot to do was find out where the bill gets paid.
All that aside,it's almost midnight.
I detoured around a DUI checkpoint, although I only had one Guinness at the neighborhood bar near the laundromat. I have a battery powered lantern, my beach chair, a carrot cake that my mother made, and a Unibrow sampler.
I went for the Don De Dieu, as I had never had it before.
Out of a tulip glass from the Coachlight dinner theater in East Windsor,Connecticut now defunct.
This beer surprises me. I wonder, should I have poured all of that yeast into the glass?
No matter, as it's at the bottom and the carbonation is still flowing. I believe that the trees and I are going to have a very fun night.
This beer is wonderful, and the perfect way to rough it. The bright white from my lantern is really showing off how beautiful the beer is!
I love the fruity flavor, and the tang on my tongue upon the finí.
May there be a Belgian in my hand when I get mauled by a bear later tonight. The carrot cake goes really well with this.
I'm about to consult Mary Jane, and see what she thinks of this whole development. I'm sure she would approve, but I'll never know, until tomorrow when I wake up.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 04:07:05 | More by joesmithrealname

ElizabethEleanor

Texas

5/5  rDev +20.8%

05-17-2013 03:15:52 | More by ElizabethEleanor

cocogan

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-16-2013 03:51:57 | More by cocogan

ButtomsUp

Missouri

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%

05-15-2013 02:35:55 | More by ButtomsUp

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -15.5%

05-15-2013 02:18:29 | More by SmellsofMahagony

Sarmartay

California

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-14-2013 19:34:05 | More by Sarmartay

richkrull

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-14-2013 15:31:26 | More by richkrull

Krakpoff

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

05-13-2013 02:45:42 | More by Krakpoff

THANAT0PSIS

Wisconsin

3.83/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Unibroue Don de Dieu

Appearance: Unibroue’s Belgian strong pale ale pours a very cloudy, warm-looking golden color that is quite typical of Belgian pale ales. There are evident yeast particles throughout the beverage and the carbonation is out of this world. The head is a gorgeous, pure, newly fallen snow-white, and has ridiculous retention and size at over four fingers. The lacing is surprisingly average and spotty for a Unibroue beer. This is a good-looking beer, but it is definitely the least attractive of the four beers that came in the sampler pack.

Aroma: Typical Unibroue spicy, bready yeast is at the forefront along with some nice yet mild citrus, green apple, and pear notes, there may even be some very mild pineapple here. Sweet malts, wheat malts, and a great creaminess come off the nose as well. All in all, however, there really is not very much aroma. One really has to do some serious sniffing to get anything out of this beer beyond the initial yeast. What’s there is good, but the effort involved in discerning out the notes, while rewarding, is obnoxious.

Taste: Right up front is a battle between sweetness, tartness, and a mild citrus bitterness. The alcohol, surprisingly, comes through quite strongly in the taste, further cutting the malty and candi-sugar sweetness. The tartness persists throughout the taste in the form of grapes, red wine, and slight cherries. The wheat (and banana esters) is definitely present, and, of course, the yeast is there in a coriander and clove spiciness and a very clear breadiness. This is probably the least sweet of Unibroue’s big four due to the relatively strong tartness and bitterness.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation is very, very prominent, which contributes to the refreshing quality of the beer. Here, again, the alcohol is very present and creates nice warming quality. The beer is very dry in the back end, not unlike red wine, which also makes this beer quite drinkable. The body is medium and creamy, and the tartness gives a mild astringency that hangs around the mouth for the duration of the bottle.

Overall: This is quite reminiscent of La Fin du Monde, but is certainly different. There is a lot more tartness and bitterness here than in that beer, but many of the same notes are there. While it is very drinkable and very refreshing, the balance is a little off and the ABV is a little high at 9%. This was my least favorite of the variety pack, and is not one I will probably purchase in the future. Still, it is good for its style. 15/20

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 19:08:56 | More by THANAT0PSIS

Stugotzo

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-12-2013 15:52:26 | More by Stugotzo

Ivegotmule

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-11-2013 23:12:27 | More by Ivegotmule

zillo043068

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-10-2013 18:43:28 | More by zillo043068

JamesStreet

Louisiana

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-10-2013 18:42:11 | More by JamesStreet

Caudalie

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

05-10-2013 16:57:41 | More by Caudalie

sendbeer

Georgia

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-08-2013 16:01:43 | More by sendbeer

Hallertau

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

05-07-2013 02:13:42 | More by Hallertau

creal92

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%

05-06-2013 15:47:05 | More by creal92

jroberts8811

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-05-2013 21:41:06 | More by jroberts8811

Hydes

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%

05-05-2013 20:55:36 | More by Hydes

coldriver

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-05-2013 18:13:01 | More by coldriver

drgonzo2k2

California

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-05-2013 16:06:41 | More by drgonzo2k2

Prost76

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-05-2013 11:11:45 | More by Prost76