Unibroue 17 Grande Réserve - Unibroue

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

(Reviewed from notes - posted under the wrong entry before)

Handsome embossed bottled from the Yonge and Wellesley LCBO in winter 2012.

Dark brown and cherry, with a big frothy head and loads of lacing. Solid looking brew indeed.

Nose is cherry, figs, chocolate, a bit of yeast and indeterminate candied fruit.

A highly enjoyable dark ale - I really like how the oak played in to this. The chocolate is very delectable, with a slight milky flavor. Fruit is quite nice as well, and the yeast is, as per Unibroue's standards, also enjoyable. A slight woodsy finish. Really digging this. Medium bodied, slightly gritty/yeasty. Typical Unibroue in that respect.

A terrific brew that takes the Belgian Dark Ale to some exciting levels. A thoroughly enjoyable brew over the course of an evening. Worth a pick up!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 23:38:00 | More by JohnnyBarman

draheim

Washington

4.23/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL into a chalice. Pours a clear mahogany w/ a nice soft beige head.

Aroma is bready Belgian yeast, spice, dark fruit, sweet candi sugar.

Taste follows nose. Sweet residual sugars, Belgian yeast, spice.

Mouthfeel is soft and creamy, good carbonation.

Overall a very good BSDA. About what I'd expect from Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 06:53:17 | More by draheim

patre_tim

China

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

A: Dark brown and unfiltered, much like a Coke at first glance. 2 finger beige foamy head.

S: Vanilla, cream, dark fruits, much like a trappist dubbel.

T: Dark fruits- raisins, figs and prunes but all in balance, with time, the oak was detectable in the back of the mouth. Dried cherries.

M: Medium body with medium to high carbonation.

O: Extremely balanced Belgian style ale that is not overly sweet. One of the best ales I’ve ever had. Every bit as good as any trappist ale in my opinion. Went well with the tortiere (Quebec’s meat pie) and steak. Would have paired well with cheeses too, but would be great by itself. We had a bottle from 2011 aged for a year, drank on Dec 31st, 2012.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 03:25:57 | More by patre_tim

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

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

Been sitting on this brew since last fall, bottle 2011-7893, which has been aging in anticipation of cracking with my BA bro joemcgrath27.

A - Pours a slightly hazy ruby red, solid thumb of head with solid retention and some sporadic lacing.

S - Scent is incredibly sweet and dominated by grape juice, hints of cloves, peppery spice and dark fruit notes on the finish.

T - This is where this brew shines, heavy fruit notes with the grape juice and red wine notes dominating alongside some tart toffee and burnt sugar caramel. A leafy green hop note lingers alongside hints of oak and a tart peppery finish.

M - Lighter bodied ale that fills the mouth yet goes down smooth and finishes with a touch of dryness.

O - This brew delivered and I'm glad i was able to take it down alongside my BA bro in crime. This is a brew that ages quite well and has a dangerously hidden ABV. The alcohol is only detectable in the belly, making for a delicious and wildly satisfying ale. Grab a few if they're available, you won't be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 06:37:01 | More by andrenaline

N3rdM3t4l

Oregon

4.78/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 bottle number 2011-68539 with a best before date printed on back. Poured from 750ml champagne corked bottle into standard pint (my lucky Ninkasi pint even).

A: 3 fingers of pillowey offwhite head that refuses to die. As it slowly falls it leaves sheets of lace. Slightly cloudy but clear dark brown. A lot like the bottle it came in actually.

S: some alcohol and spicy hops up front. A bit of banana and dark fruit. Mostly spice though, smells fantastic.

T: malty and full of alcohol. As soon as I swallow I get some burn, that 10% shows when it is cold. Clove, delicious clove and that astringent belgian funk. Some good malty notes a bit of caramel flavor but not sweet. looking for the oak barrel flavors but having a hard time finding them through the spice.

M: a solid medium body with a hint of tingley fizz. too dangerously easy to drink.

O: I wanted a good belgian so I got Unibroue and they delivered. Boy did they deliver. Wonderful beer, wonderful wonderful beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 03:48:10 | More by N3rdM3t4l

Immortale25

Florida

4.56/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Honored for this to be my 400th review. Poured into a Saint Somewhere wine-style glass. Label says Best Before 12-12-2016.

A- Pours a murky dark brown color with a 3/4 inch light tan head that bears great retention time before eventually fading to an 1/8 inch head and a thick ring of lacing. Resilient bubbles slide slowly down the glass when swirled.

S- Delightful aroma that's spicy, yeasty and floral with exceptional balance between the three. Slightly soapy, but with a sweetness that's very complimentary. The spices end up being the main component with some faint alcohol trailing behind.

T- Tastes like your usual BSDA but with extra flavor all around. More yeast, enhanced Belgian candy sugar and an assertive but refined alcohol character. There's a light solvent-like rubberiness in the back that ends up tying the whole profile together better than one might expect. The spices are a bit less involved than in the aroma.

M- Very creamy and somewhat sharp from the spice and alcohol combined with high carbonation making for a superb feel. Full-ish body.

O- What a knockout. Definitely the best dark offering I've ever had from Unibroue. If you're a fan of the Belgians, you've gotta try this.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 23:13:16 | More by Immortale25

mintjellie

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Burnt orange colour with ruby highlights. The beer gushes upon opening, and on pouring forms a massive pale beige head. Poor retention and lacing. The aroma is complex with fig, raisin, banana, nut; and delicate clove & vanilla notes. Malty and estery, opening with nut, and dried fruit (raisin and cherry) flavours. There is a strong clove note and a hint of banana mid-palate, followed by a strong oak flavour that provides a tannic finish. Full-bodied and moderately carbonated. The carbonation is very finely textured. There is a slippery, almost greasy quality to the mouthfeel that is especially noticeable between sips. Perhaps diacetyl at a level low enough that I can't find it with my nose or palate, but noticeable to the sense of touch. Whatever the cause, I think this beer feels wonderful in my mouth. A complex and satisfying beer - the tannic quality is challenging to my palate, but in a pleasant kind of way. It's strength is very well hidden as well - the alcohol is only really noticeable in terms of how it makes you feel. This is powerful stuff - in terms of flavour, potency, and sheer enjoyment.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 04:25:05 | More by mintjellie

matthiasbrau

New York

3.58/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From tasting notes Nov. 24, 2012

Unibroue 17th Anniversary (2011 bottling)

-fancy paper label; BBD 12/12/2016
-served @ 53f
-deep amber red color
-two fingers foam with no lacing
-no booziness on the nose; as it warms, booze becomes more apparent
-thinner mouthfeel than the 2010 bottling
-nutmeg/vanilla spice is much more subtle than the 2010 bottling

See my related review of the 17th Anniversary ale (pre "Grande Reserve" - bottled in Dec. 2010) as I sampled that beer and this one on consecutive nights.

If I had to choose between the two, I would say the Dec. 2010 bottling was better. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more. The 17th Anniversary Grande Reserve 2011 bottling could probably benefit from additional aging; glad I bought a couple more for the cellar. Overall, both vintages are fantastic beers that I look forward to enjoying over the years.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 03:09:23 | More by matthiasbrau

Kromes

Georgia

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

Poured into a tulip. A hazy dark brown color with a thick tan colored head that leaves lacing down the glass.

Earthy oak, fig, Belgian yeast, clove, slight toasted malt aroma.

A nice toasted malt and raisin/molasses flavor at first. The clove and plum flavors then kick in and blend with an earthy yeast and roasted malt. The roasted malt, clove, and alcohol linger in the finish.

Full body with higher carbonation and a bit of peppery spice and alcohol burn on the tongue.

Fully expected this to be a quality dark ale and it didn't dissappoint. Very nice especially on a cold night like tonight.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 23:56:33 | More by Kromes

CA_Infidel2o9

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

Poured from a bomber to a Tulip

A- muddy brown, 2" cloud like off white head

S- spices, root beer, crayons, vanilla, leather, rubber, oak, auto grease, cranberries, prunes, grapes, raisin

T- plum, raisin, dark grapes, prunes, oak, earthy viny notes, vanilla, sour apple, roasted nutty malts, ethanol

M- SO creamy, oily, average carbonation

O- let her warm! It's so complex when it's at near room temp. I sipped it out of the fridge and was hit with booze, i then let it sit and warm and suddenly it was a whole new beer, full of complexities. Vanilla, oak, leather all shown through, one after the other dark fruits began to emerge, plums, grapes, raisins, prunes. Finally roasted nutty malts sprang forth, creating an awesomely balanced brew. I can go on and on as i continue to find more and more flavors/aromas, but i still have half a bomber to enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 00:47:00 | More by CA_Infidel2o9

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

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

750 mL corked and caged bottle, Bottled in 2011 and bottle # stamped on label. Poured into my Unibroue goblet.

opaque medium brown color, nice creamy thick head. great head retention. rich malty aroma. allspice, a little dark fruit. complex. more of the same in the taste. improves as it warms. nice. medium thickness, smooth carbonation. drinks easy.

overall - very good beer, but not sure I pick up any of the oak flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 06:20:36 | More by jmdrpi

jera1350

Minnesota

3.55/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Deep mahogany colored with a fluffy and sticky head of tan foam. Very nice retention and lacing.

The nose is wee bit light. There are notes of bubblegum, alcohol, some dark fruit and an herbal smell also.

Lots of oak going on throughout this beer. Quite herbal and a bit floral with some mild fruitiness and a good dose of alcohol. The finish has some bitterness from the wood and perhaps the hops. Big alcohol and oak on the end. The oak is actually pretty overpowering and harsh at times.

Very dry and tannic with soft carbonation in a medium body. Warm alcohol feel too.

A bit of a disappointment for me now, but I think this beer would do really well with age to tame the oak and booze. Just too raw as a fresh beer, but I see immense upside for the future of this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 02:52:56 | More by jera1350

sukwonee

Washington

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

2011 vintage bottle, aged for one year.

A: Reddish dark brown with 3-4 finger head. Lots and lots of lacing everywhere.

S: Oak, some funk(?), brown sugar, some spice, caramel - complex.

T: Awesome. It's great. I can really taste oak, wine, caramel malt, spices. This bottle has that unique flavor present in most Unibroue beers, but way more complex. I would say this beer is caramel malt forward with the oak barrel, wine, and vanilla hitting in the middle, followed by some cola like flavor (and some candy-like sweetness), and finishes off with more wine and spices. I also tastes some apple and dark fruits as well. Alcohol is not detected much.

M: Smoooth and creamy. Thick but not syrupy.

O: Awesome brew. French oak aging must have added extra layers of complexities in the nose and taste. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 02:37:26 | More by sukwonee

Converge

Alberta (Canada)

4.6/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle poured into a goblet. 2011 vintage.

A - Pours a deep, murky brown hue with ruby highlights. A short-lived tan head of bubbles that quickly settles to a thin skiff of foam. Bits of sticky lace spot the glass, though nothing much. Cloudy, and full of yeasty haze. And as always, I appreciate the nice packaging and presentation.

S - Extremely complex. Distinct Unibroue house yeast is immediately identifiable, spicy, fruity and full of aromatic esters. Dried plum, figs, and lots of medjool dates up front. Even a bit chocolatey, with some caramel as well. Vanilla is coming through strong, and it smells incredible, and is only complimented further by the French Oak and vinous character. There's so much going on it's hard to put into words. A beautiful mix of Belgian spice, Unibroue yeast, oak, fruits, and tons of rich sweetness. No alcohol coming through at all.

T - A remarkable barrage of sweet, spicy, and yeasty. Big sweetness coming from some caramelized sugar notes, complimented by rich vanilla and the complex, estery Unibroue house yeast I've come to love. There's definitely a vinous quality coming through that helps balance the profile, along with resinous oak flavors, almost smokey. Slight cherry notes, along with medjool dates, figs, raisins, and dried plums. Finishes quite crisp and dry, with vinous oak qualities lingering away. Endless complexity. I always appreciate Belgian brews that give me the expected profile with a unique twist thrown in, and for me that comes through with this one in the vanilla/wine/oak flavors. Very nice.

M - Smooth and mild on the palate. For such a rich and sweet brew, it doesn't feel cloying. Fairly heavy on the tongue, with full body and thorough carbonation of fine bubbles, like many Unibroue BSDAs. Crisp, sticky, dry, but minimal alcohol heat.

D - A BSDA with something to say about the style. It seems most European craft beer is rooted in tradition, while American craft is about pushing boundaries. This North American take on a Belgian classic both satisfies my thirst for traditional Belgian ale and gives me something I haven't tasted before. Just another reason why Unibroue is the best brewery in Canada, bar none.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 00:27:49 | More by Converge

Ranz

Texas

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

A: In my whisky snifter, this 2011 vintage poured a deep, verdant brown that created a nice finger of head after a slightly vigorous pour.

S: Clove, apple, hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, and thick bready malt from the yeast create an intoxicating aroma. Wow: the refermentation did this some good.

T: A strain of sharp, charred oak makes itself immediately present before sugary fruit flavors--including plum, cherry, slight citrus, and fig--come to the fore. Unbelievably complex, this beer boasts some unique and nuanced flavors. Lovely to sip.

M: Incredibly thick and heavy on the tongue, the mouthfeel does the waltz, slowly, around your mouth when lesser beers would try to move too quickly and stumble around. This beer has the maturity and poise to sit comfortably restful.

O: I love a good dark Belgian, and this may take the top spot as a new favorite. Once again, Unibroue fails to disappoint. Excellent job, chaps.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 02:23:42 | More by Ranz

jfdesjardins

California

4.6/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

*** Original 2007 bottle ***

Opened it tonight with friends, and I have to tell you, that has nothing to do with the new 2011 bottle.

It poor nicely into the glass, a nice brown with a small nice head.

The beer smell of oak. caramel, some nuts and fruits. Nothing extraordinary, but yet, it's comfort into a glass.

The oak has strengthened, the alcohol and the sugar has melt into nuts and fruits. Ageing that beer has brings complexity and aromas into the beer.

I've start drinking microbrewery beer partly because of that beer back in 2007, but while the new one is good but has nothing to impress, the bottle that I've opened tonight was worth the five year I've waited to drink it.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 06:41:09 | More by jfdesjardins

mmapes

Colorado

4/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2011 vintage traded from Andrew (thanks!), drunk in November 2012.

Pours dark reddish brown, hazy -- kinda ugly, actually, but who cares? Good fizzy head.

Smells of dried fruits and malt, maybe even a little vinous.

First sip is not too sweet, even bready. Has either high acidity or effervescence. The finish has lots of dried fruit like plum or raisin.

Second sip is rounder, sweeter, fruitier up front. Toasted malts add a "baked" flavor, but it isn't smoky. Maybe a hint of brown sugar.

There must be some hops in there, but they don't stand out -- appropriate to the style.

Tasty. A bold, sweet, strong sipper. Right up my alley. Would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 02:29:57 | More by mmapes

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

MY 600TH REVIEW!

***2011 Vintage***

Poured from a 750ml. bottle and shared with my wife (Date code: M12111602QFL, bottled Dec. 12, 2011)

Appearance: Massive foam that isn't overwhelming but still sturdy. Body is a light chestnut brown and the head is the color of lightly caramelized sugar. Very nice.

Smell: Strong Belgian overtones mixed with some oak soaked in white wine. Mild spicing as well.

Taste: The mellowness is the first thing that hits me. Cork and oak mixed with some mild wine-like overtones. Some spices with a lingering herb presence in the finish. Nice but not as complex as i would have anticipated.

Mouthfeel: Strong carbonation with a body that feels quite smooth. Packs a little bit of heat.

Overall: Some nice oak aging nuances but to me, that's what they were, nuances. Left me wanting a little.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 12:30:23 | More by papat444

Hazer115

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I shared a bottle with my brother. This beer poured a great golden amber with a short one finger head that didn't last very long.

I could really pick up on several notes from banana to vanilla to smoked oak.

All of the aromas carried over to the taste as well with a slight since of the alcohol content slipping in there.

A very bright and full mouthfeel with a lot of carbonation.

Overall, a very good beer and one that I would recommend to others.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 19:09:54 | More by Hazer115

mdfb79

New York

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From 10/29/12 notes. This is the version rebrewed in 2011, with a best by date of 12-12-2016 on the bottle. Have had it for several months, 750ml bottle poured into my Duvel tulip.

a - Pours a murky reddish brown color with one finger plus of fluffy off white head that's lasts for a minute or two and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of dark fruits, oak, spices, raisins, oak, roasted and toasted malts, fruity malts, light vanilla, and Belgian yeast. Really awesome nose; it's like La Fin De Monde with a little bit of oak to it. Really nice.

t - Tastes of dark fruits, alcohol, bready malts, sweet raisins, plums, figs, oak, toasted malts, light vanill and burnt malts. A little more alcohol here than the nose, but still really nice.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Smooth and pretty easy to drink.

o - Overall an awesome beer from Unibroue. I like a lot of their stuff and this is up there as one of their best in my opinion. Awesome nose and easy to drink; definitely worth getting if you're a fan of Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 16:56:11 | More by mdfb79

jondeelee

Massachusetts

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

17 Grande Reserve opens to a sweet, spicy nose that boasts, on the one hand, raisin, fig, date, plum, black cherry, and blood orange fruit esters, mixed with light molasses, brown sugar, and wildflower honey, and on the other, touches of clove, white pepper, perhaps ginger, allspice, coriander, cinnamon…the spice bouquet is varied, and much like in well-prepared foods, difficult to pin down. Hints of lemon and sweet pink grapefruit from the hops add texture. The overall effect is closer to mulled cider than beer, the dark fruits and spices coming together very nicely, tempered only by the lightest touch of toast crust and marble rye bread, and instantly reminiscent of Christmas: gingerbread cookies, five-star fruitcake, wassail. This is one of the more unique aromas I’ve ever encountered in a beer, and a welcome change from Unibroue’s spice-heavy noses.

On the tongue, the beer opens with a panoply of dark fruit esters, including raisin, plum, date, fig, prune, blood orange, and berry, with additional molasses, wildflower honey, and agave nectar thrown in for good measure. Spices are definitely peppery, but also seem to include ginger, cinnamon, clove, coriander, and perhaps allspice; again, the spices mingle well and are difficult to separate. There is a slight rubber tire hint around the edges, which is strange, but mostly blends well with the dark fruits. Touches of lemon and pine from the hops add further complexity, as do brown breads and toast crust. There’s also a very noticeable almost merlot-like quality to the beer, as if grape juice had been added pre-fermentation. The aftertaste is mainly spice, with some dark fruit left over, and lingers on the tongue for a good while. Mouthfeel is medium, and carbonation is medium to medium-high, biting at the tongue and soft palate.

Overall, this beer had immense promise on the nose, and while most of that translated well to the tongue, the interplay between spice and dark fruit created a strange rubbery taste around the edges, much the way that over-spiced fruitcake comes across as over-caramelized (the point of near-burnt) and slightly bitter. The beer is still good, but this bitter layer adds just enough of a strangeness that it becomes slightly off-putting. The beer is still worth trying, but I wish the taste had more closely followed the nose.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 00:23:43 | More by jondeelee

McShane

4.53/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

So this evening I was in a horrible mood. Went for a drive, finished an errand and now at 10:45pm I'm settling in. I even cleaned my kitchen to work the angst out. This all wasn't going to get me back to ground zero though.
Last month I picked up a bottle of Unibroue's 17 Grande. It made me extremely happy. I had a second bottle. Then I went back to Whole Foods and got a third and a fourth. These I would tuck away for safe keeping. Well this was one of those nights where I was possessed to have exactly what I wanted. Part of my "errand" was to drive out to Whole Foods and pick up three more bottles of this beer. Why you ask? I was in a bad mood. When a guy get's in a bad mood he should (with in reason) get to do what he wants to do. My want was more of this brew so I could go home, and have the beer that I wanted, with out disturbing my cellar. Anal? Absolutely. Did I get what I wanted? Damn right.

The beer is brilliant. Let's go through the motions though and state clearly why it rocks so hard.

Appearance- Gorgeous brown that descends into absolute darkness. Know what I mean? On the outside it's got that deep amber color, in it's heart though it's enveloped in darkness.

Smell - Clean and fresh with a teasing pleasant scent of alcohol. Not rude, just enough that if you stick your nose in the glass, you realize you're going to get smashed.

Taste- Out of this world. Complex yet simple. What I mean is that it's features are beer like then the barrel aged mixture of texture and sweetness start to nag at you. I swear it's a bastardized cream sherry. It's all beer though because it bites back. The after taste forces your mouth to water.

Mouth feel - Clean with a nice bite. Not overly carbonated but enough that it makes your mouth tingle and your tongue wake up.

So I like this beer. I think it's pretty clear that I like it. It's also 10% ABV which in the mood I'm in, I'd prefer to be lightly smashed. So one beer doing that trick is perfect. It's like that old adage of snipers who say one shot one kill. Well that's what this beer does. Everything I like wrapped into one neat little package.

I suggest checking out Unibroue's site as well because the cool thing about their beers is that most of them have a legend behind them. Very cool stuff. Very cool company. Knock out brew.

Thanks,

Steve McShane
Drunkards Call Podcast
Growler Radio Podcast
www.inkandaudio.net
@ayemcshane on Twitter.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 05:57:05 | More by McShane

gtermi

Texas

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

A: This beer pours a nice brown body with a thin white head that quickly fades to nothing.

S: The yeast from this beer has a very nice fruity aroma. I pick up a bit of oak that has a slight wine smell.

T: There is a strong amount of oak that gives it a nice red wine type flavor. I am also getting a nice fruitiness, which I get in every Unibroue beer.

M: Usually Unibroue brews have a strong crispness and very strong amount of carbonation, but this one is very mild and easy to drink. Freaking amazing.

O: This is such a nice beer and glad that I found a few bottles. I enjoy the wine flavor that it has and like the body. So nice.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 04:02:57 | More by gtermi

JOaikido

Quebec (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Dark Brown & cloudy with a pale beige head of thick fine bubbles. Leaves nice lacing on glass.

S- Good Unibroue yeast. Dried fruit and caramel.

T- Strong alcohol, but this fits this beer. Much of the same notes as the aroma (smell) but with a good bitter flash balancing the whole.

MF- Medium-thick. Warming. A good beer for this winter night at the end of a long week.

O- Pretty much what I was hoping for.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 01:19:53 | More by JOaikido

DaveBlack

Virginia

4.23/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Cloudy, murky brown color. A good 3 finger tan head drops into about 1 finger in time, but stays there with seemingly infinite retention.

S: Dark fruits, a slight spiciness, some Belgian yeast and alcoholic phenols. Not a very strong smelling beer, actually, but rather reserved (you see what I did there?) in this department.

T: lots of sweet malts with notes of caramel and toffee and all those other delicious burnt sugars. Earthy yeast, a slight peppery spice, and enough alcohol to balance out the sweetness, but even so it finishes sweet, but with a bit of a smoky vanilla. After a few sips I can feel the alcohol on the back of the throat.

M: Fairly sticky, but fairly light seeming due to the high amount of small-bubble carbonation.

O: A damn good beer. It hides the 10% ABV scarily well and goes down really easily. It is a nice balance of sweet and spice. Would definitely drink again.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 23:51:03 | More by DaveBlack