Allagash Victor Ale - Allagash Brewing Company

womencantsail

California

3.25/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks to Blake for sending me this one.

A: The pour is almost copper in color with a fluffy, off-white head.

S: A rather intense grape aroma to the beer, but it's almost like super sweet grape jelly or grape juice. Some malt and light yeast in the background with a little bit of pepper and other phenols and esters.

T: The grape flavor really dominates and gives the beer a very sugary sweetness. Some bread and sweet toffee/caramel malts add to the sweetness. A light yeast and pepper bite in the background and a hint of metal.

M: Medium in body with a medium to high carbonation.

O: Just really disappointing. I like that the grape flavor is there, but it's just too sugary.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 08:48:15 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a slightly dirty golden color with an off white head. Nose brings forth some yeast but mostly a lot of grapes. This carries over into the taste where, despite some yeast and spice, this is almost just a fancy grape juice. Feel consists of a medium body and good carbonation. All together, this is just a bit much and almost tastes like a grape juice mixture.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2010 11:14:42 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.13/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a deep copper body with a lush, creamy-looking white head.

Smell: Floral, honey-coated aroma with plenty of yeast, spice, and that ever-present grape character.

Taste: Initially, the flavor is quite sweet with a bready, almost cake-like maltiness and, yes, there's that ever-present grape character, which comes across more as a tart golden raisin flavor. Hops provide a tiny bit of bitterness and a light citrus note. Wraps-up with a semi-sweet, vinous finish that exhibits a fair amount of alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Moderately carbonated. Sticky mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Allgash is one of those breweries well-known for always cooking up interesting twists and turns to implement into their brewing. Some of these ideas pay off in beer drinking gold and others, well, they just remain as cute concepts. For me, this is one of the latter.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2007 19:09:42 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy apricot jam color with a frothy head that shows decent retention and and plenty of lacing

Smell: Muted aromatics, with elements of concord grape, unfermented honey and a cakey aspect

Taste: Starts out with a rather sweet combination of honey and grape flavors; after the swallow, a spicy/yeasty character breaks out and provides for a rather bitter (not in a hoppy way, but more like grape skin character) finish

Mouthfeel: Full, almost syrupy body with moderate carbonation; some warmth on the finish

Drinkability: Interesting experiment but ultimately a failure, in my book; not very drinkable as the balance is out of whack and the flavor profile is just not that enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2007 18:21:09 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap for Allagash night at Boneyard Bistro in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Pours a hazy honey brown with a beige head that settles to a film on top of the beer. A foamy curtain of lace lines the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain/malt, spices, and some fruity aromas. Taste is the same with some yeast flavors and a slight metallic flavor on the finish. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but the smell is better than the taste.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2012 05:23:10 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of Jay23: Poured a deep hazy copper/orangey color ale with a big foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of sweet malt with light grape taste. Taste is a quite complex mix between some light grapes, sweet Belgian malt with some yeasts attenuation and a light funky finish. Very light notes of oak and tart notes are also noticeable. I find this beer to be quite good but not sure I would purchase very often considering the price tag.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2008 18:56:18 | More by Phyl21ca

oberon

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a large tulip glass a hazed burnt orange with a large blooming white head that left multiple rings of broken lace behind as it settled slowly.White grape skin really stands out in the nose with what alot of people have mentiones,a sweet cake-like note,a healthy does of herbal hops,and sharp phenols round out the aromas.Phenols play a bigger role on the palate providing spice and sharpness,white grape fruitiness,and herbal hops in the finish.A pretty good rendition of the style,the phenols are a little heavy on the palate for me though.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 23:42:37 | More by oberon

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a tulip glass at ChurchKey.

Missed this one when it was at Paradiso, so I was jazzed (check out my jazz hands!) to see it at the CK. Everyone deserves a second chance. *single tear* It pours a mostly clear golden straw topped by a half-finger of large white bubbles, though I wouldn't name them (if you catch my drift). The nose comprises white grapes, red grapes, cane sugar, and peaches. I really do like this smell. Yes I do. Yuppers. Anyway, the taste holds notes of white grapes, banana, cloves, a slight bitterness, and an even slighter tartness. ...Is slighter a word?... The body is a light medium, with moderate carbonation and a dry, partially bitter finish. Good times.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2010 22:48:22 | More by TMoney2591

drabmuh

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer is dark brown with a broken thin head that leaves a lot of lacing but didn't have much carbonation.

The aroma is sweet raisin aroma with an almost sour aroma.

This beer has an odd late sweet flavor. The sweetness somehow avoids the front of the palate. There is a slight lactic flavor. There is also an odd yeast character. Overall its smooth. Drinkability if fine.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2010 22:01:06 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours golden-orange with a white head. The aroma is citrus with some grape notes. The flavor is heavy on the grapes along with some nice citrus flavors. There is some alcohol detectable as well as some Belgian yeast character. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2010 04:26:52 | More by Mora2000

MasterSki

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On-tap at Hopleaf. Figured it's easier to part with $6.50 for a tulip than to splurge on a whole bottle. This batch was listed at 9.3%.

A - Pours with a finger of off-white foam that settles to a thick ring and partial cap, leaving behind spotty lace. The body is a hazed pale golden color. Why is this called a "dark" ale?

S - An odd mix of Belgian yeast, pilsener malt, and vinous notes. There are some spicy alcohol esters and stone fruits in there as well. Not entirely successful - like someone blended Chouffe with red wine.

T - A mix of grape juice and Belgian Strong Pale Ale. I actually think the taste works better than the smell, as it's less overtly vinous (although the aftertaste is reminiscent of red wine). There's also a yeasty tang to it.

M - Feel is slick, with medium-low carbonation - consistent with the vinous flavor profile. Finishes lightly sticky. It's a touch thin for the high ABV, but there's no obvious heat which is appreciated.

D - I'm glad I got to try this on-tap, not because it was great, but because I saved myself from buying an expensive bottle. It was passable, and I didn't any problems finishing my tulip. Hope Victor Francenstein is better.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2010 15:35:18 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.48/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

The beer pours into my 25cl tulip glass with a hazy, orangish tinged, copper color and is topped by an initially three-finger thick, light tan colored head. The aroma is quite fruity smelling, with berry notes being the most prominent; currants, blackberries and raisins all form the most noticeable characteristics of the aroma. Underneath this though is a sort of saw dust, almost nutty (but not really), what seems to be malt derived character. I also get notes of biscuit malt and lightly toasted grain when I really concentrate on the aromatic components. The grape character definitely plays a prominent role in the aroma; even the skin seems to add some tannic, almost cherry-skin aromatic components.

Fairly sweet up front, and it gets even a bit more sweet as the beer passes through my mouth. Fruity notes are accentuated by the sweetness and remind me of currants, blackberries, a touch of concord grape jam, tart / sweet plums, . The grape skins have certainly contributed to the flavor profile; a certain tannic quality, as well as a pithy astringency, plus some chewy cherry skin flavors, as well as kiwi like note. Really this is a bit too sweet and fruit tasting.

This somehow seems to fizz in the end, the grape flavors just don't add up to a complexity of flavor; what really seems to be the problems is that the grape / berry notes are too dominant, the underlying beer flavors don't play enough of a role for a beer this clean. Did I mention that this beer is fairly clean, it really could use quite a bit more funk to it; a touch of Brett might make this beer sublime.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2007 01:27:08 | More by Gueuzedude

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer reminded me a little of Dogfish Head's Midas Touch. This brew poured out with a nice golden color to it, the head was white and fluffy. The smell of the grapes on the nose came through nicely and gave this beer a slight wine-like aroma to it. The taste of the beer was on the sweet side and leaves you with a good aftertaste also. The grapes are more sweet than tart I think, either way still pretty nice. The mouthfeel of this beer was well carbonated and had a fairly light body to it. Overall this beer was nice, Probably one of the better Allagash brew I've had. I would drink this one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 05:37:12 | More by Knapp85

emerge077

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy orange tone.
Hawaiian Punch aromas, floral, sweet, grapey, fruity.

Sweet fruit flavors, alot of yeast, some residual bitterness. Not very balanced, much too sweet for my taste. Slight dryness at the end, but the taste lingers on the palate way too long.

Unpleasantly full mouthfeel for the sweet flavors that occur in tandem. It makes it a chore to finish almost, however it doesn't have any attributes that discourage one from drinking it.

Somehow I finished the bottle with some minor help from a friend. Not one I would revisit anytime soon. Allagash bottles alot of their experiments, and this is one I can't recommend.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2007 03:42:32 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a medium orange with a finger of white head, some good lace. Don't know why this is considered a BSDA, it's just a shade darker than Victoria.

S: Lots of tropical fruit, I got some mango, passion fruit, and grapes.

T: Orange fruit and stone fruit, the beer isn't really dark; it's just a different incarnation of a BSPA. Fruit salad like in flavour, the yeast is quite light, not a huge complexity.

M: As with the Victoria, medium-bodied with soft carbonation, quite drinkable.

D: A quality product from Allagash, but a pass at the $17-20 they're asking. At those prices to rebuy, a beer needs to have a 5 in taste. Good beer, just overpriced.

Serving type: on-tap

06-23-2010 01:56:12 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

750 ml cage-corked bottle, poured slowly into a wide-mouth glass, as per instructions on the label.

Pours hazed orange-amber with a white head that slowly becomes a thick swirling patch. Some trailing lace slides down the glass.

The smell is of musty grapes, with a touch of sourbread. Some maltiness in the back. Subtle fruitiness and spiciness mixes in.

The taste is peppery spicing - Alcohol is a bit raw and dominating. Caramelish - almost syrupy - maltiness with bready notes - grapeskin blends in to give it a dry finish.

Full-bodied and thickish. Alcohol is a bit raw on the palate.

Not a bad use of grapes at all - present but in a supportive role - Fairly complex. A very slow one, with some astringency and alcohol making it a bit tough to get through. Interesting.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2008 00:04:20 | More by jwc215

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A 750 mL corked and capped bottle.

A: The ale pours a dark orange color, a reasonable approximation between orange and amber brown. The head was huge on pour, measuring almost 3 fingers in size.

S: The aroma coming off of the ale is strong on the yeast strain, a funky aroma that conjures up a good Belgian brew. Along side that yeast aroma is some raisiny sweetness and dark candi sugars.

T: The ale is delicious. Candi sugar and raisin sweetness dominate the first sip, creating an excellent dark Belgian base. On top of that flavor is the tartness of green grapes, which surprises me because the ale showcases chancellor grapes (red grapes), unlike its sister, Victoria. The ale shows off a unique dryness in its finish that reminds me of a nice red wine, full of flavor yet dry in its end.

M: The ale retains a strong tart green grape flavor up front before yielding to the dry red grape finish. The flavor throughout is true to the Belgian framework.

D: The abv is very high and doesn't hesitate to pop up throughout the glass. Despite that, the ale is strong on Allagash's best features: dark fruity taste, funky yeast and strong finish. An excellent ale.

[Follow-up note: The bottle says 9% but the fact sheet from Allagash says 10.4%, decide amongst yourselves.]

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2007 22:41:50 | More by akorsak

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Large bubbled head, but not quite at the level of soda pop. Very light lace. Nearly no head after one minute. Light haze to an otherwise gold to amber colored beer.

Earthy smell. No notable hop or "grape".

A classic Belgian flavor of yeast, high alcohol and pale malts. I would not describe this as a dark ale. There is a tartness to the beer that one could associate with grapes, but I would not be able to specifically as grape-like, perhaps it's the tannin. Good body.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 21:17:01 | More by smcolw

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 vintage. Pours a one finger tight white head that fades very slowly leaving a good lace. Almost clear amber color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Nose is spicy fruit. Flavor is malty fruit, spices, hints of grape. Better than their Victoria Ale. Higher ABV is hidden. Pricey at $15.49 for a caged & corked 750ml bottle from Beverage Warehouse Winooski, VT.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2010 22:44:49 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a chalice)

A-This beer has a warm deep pecan colored body with a nice hazy glow to it. There is a thick rocky beige head that sticks to the glass with each sip and is supported by a strands of micro bubbles.

S- This beer has a soft hint of ripe pears and a flower blossom note. The finish has a note of green grapes.

T- This beer has a spicy white grapefruit flavor that is followed by a tangy bite of mead and a soft green note in the finish. There is a light sweetness that comes through as the beer warms aswellas a dry spice note in the finish.

M- This beer has a light mouthfeel with a silky texture and no real alcohol heat to speak of.

D- This beer has a nice flower smell and some good balance of sweetness and bitterness. It had a unique blended flavor so it was a bit hard to describe but very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2007 18:54:03 | More by rhoadsrage

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml corked and caged bottle also from Whole Foods in Chitown. Day 2 of epic DrJay visit tasting.

Pours a cloudy copper, almost dark orange, thick off white head forms, drops tons of lace, very rocky head, settles to a medium layer, looks good. Smell is neat, light sourness and acidity, grapes and wine, wood, raspberries and assorted fruitiness, oranges, more fruit than the Victoria, a little more intense with the aroma. Taste is light sour and tannic, strawberries, oranges, bread, melons, very dry in the middle, some nice bready malt and oak, bit of funky sourness in the finish, very fruity, pretty neat. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with high carbonation, very dry, nice funky finish, I liked.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2009 22:56:11 | More by Viggo

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This review is for the 2007 vintage sampled on draft last week at Capone's.

Pours a dark amber/caramel brown color with dark golden orange hues and a 1.5 finger froty white head. Very good retention, only slowly settling into a lasting ring that coats the glass with chunks of soapy lacing.

Yeasty aroma with subtle hints of bread along wih a slightly vinous grape presence. Slight earthy funk along with caramel apple, subtle alcohol and very light hops.

Softly carbonated up front with a nice sweet alcohol and grape flavor. The vinous characteristic from the aroma isn't present here but there is some earthy oak tannis but not too much so. Slightly cider like with ints of apple as well as some caramel and toffee. The ABV is decently masked but the sweet alcohol presence is still there. No noticeable heat or alcohol warmth in the finish. Sightly dry herbal/medicinal aftertaste. This was pretty good and I would like to try a fresh vintage to compare. It has held up remarkable well.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2009 19:48:12 | More by corby112

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Max's Allagash event last night. Of the two V's (Victor and Victoria), I believe I liked this the best.

The beer pours a honey gold color with fair head retention and lacing. The beer is pretty sweet on the nose, with considerable malt and honey. On the palate this beer is quite delicious, and I'm surprised by the flavors of vanilla and chocolate on a moderately sweet frame. Alcohol is somewhat noticeable in this beer, but it's not obtrusive. The finish on this beer is very smooth and long.

Impressive. What a delicious beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2008 15:22:49 | More by johnmichaelsen

glid02

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by firkinhophead - much obliged!

Pours a hazy golden color with a one-finger white head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of rustic grapes with good amounts of sweet malt and hints of green apples.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Sweet malt flavors up front are joined quickly by white grape and green apple flavors. The ending is on the sweeter side of things.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with active carbonation.

Drinkability is alright. I finished my glass without a problem however I'm not so sure about another.

Overall I feel as though the bottle version was a bit harsher than what I remember the tap version tasting like. I found that odd considering the bottle was from 2007. Anyhoo, this is a good beer but there are better ones out there from Allagash.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2009 02:56:11 | More by glid02

DrJay

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Biergotter 2008 tasting - Day 2. Viggo provided this one. Thanks!
Just a bit of haze to this orange/amber beer. The light beige cap showed good head retention and produced some chunky, sticky lacing. Vinous aroma, lots of wine and red grape skin, juicy and fruity, bready with a bit of earthiness. Mild tropical fruit and citrus notes appeared as it warmed. Malty flavour up front, quite fruity, grape and raisin, similar to the aroma but a little less vinous. Nicely balanced with flavours really melding, a bit of toffee sweetness held things together. Smooth, malty texture, moderate carbonation and medium bodied, a bit dry. Good stuff. Quite tasty with well hidden alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2008 02:02:38 | More by DrJay