Allagash Odyssey

Brewed by Allagash Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Portland, Maine USA

2008 bottle. Very drinkable. Slight head, very dark body. Extremely smooth for the alcohol content.

On tap at Pizzeria Paradiso. Pours pretty much jet black with a thin but super thick buttery light yellow head that has unreal retention and leaves just cascades of unbroken lacing. Destroyed the glass. Aroma is a bit muted (since it was served too cold. There’s some coconut, currants, chocolate truffles. Taste is unreal: just a beautiful, rich blend of rum raisin, malaga gelato, flaked coconut, and pina colado. Wow. Great, creamy palate. 10% is unnoticed.

Dark brown, almost black pour with a vivacious, lasting tight frothy tan head that leaves a nice dark coating of lacing in its wake. Aroma is dominated by the quindessential allagash yeast character, and all the yummy spices it tends to produce. Oak, currant, fig, clove, banana, and a citrusy wheat malt combine with the ever prevalent doughty yeast character to produce an excellent arangement of notes. Flavor is absoluely bursting- sweet succulent dark fruit- fig, grape, black currant, and molasses are met with a definitive woody toast note that subsides into an ever so slight hint of roast and a boozy vinousness. Palate is caressing, thick, and excellently effervescent.

Extremely dark brown pour, solidly sized light tan head that retains nicely; visible carbonation in the liquid. Aroma is full of dark spices like clove, along with some classic Allagash Belgian yeast. This is complemented by the second tier of smell, which holds some nice wheat, wood, and toast. Flavor is excellent; lots of wood and toast again, but there is some beautiful dark sugar that comes through; caramel, candied apple, and molasses. The spice comes through once again later on, with delicious dark Belgian notes and a touch of brandy. Palate is really nice; certainly full bodied, but relaxes itself into a sweet but clean and unfettered finish. One of my favorites from Allagash, and an exquisite Belgian strong.

Cask (gravity) @ GBBF 09, Great British Beer Festival, Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, England.
Clear dark brown color with a small to average, fizzy, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, roasted, caramel, berry, cask wood - oak, smoke, alcohol. Flavor is moderate to light heavy sweet and bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is flat. [20090806]

Brown with a small off-white head. Dark dried fruit and malt in the nose. Sweet and malty flavour with toffee notes. Alcohol noticed. Too boring for a 10% beer.

From bottle. Mature fruit, malt and liquor aroma. Similar to a proper west country cider. Mahogany in colour with a thin white lace. Slightly smoked flavour with fruit and berries. Smooth texture. Rich flavour, very fruity with caramel. Pleasant tasting beer with a rich finish. Good desert beer.

On tap at th Bistro Barrel Aged fest in Hayward. Dark brown with purple hues and a small beige head. Arom is dark fruit, caramel, alcohol, and spices. Flavor is nice but not quite worth the bottle price. Caramel malt, spice, raisin, fig, and vanilla. Alcohol well-hidden. Dry finish with medium body and a pretty average mouthfeel.