Allagash Tenth (10th) Anniversary Ale

Formerly brewed at Allagash Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Portland, Maine USA

Thanks to beastiefan2k for sharing this now-scarce brew - cloudy bright orange pour, with a rather thick, sticky white lace - strong fruity esters in the aroma,with floral notes and touches of honey, with an undercurrent of musty, earthy, yeasty qualities - still rather sweet (I figured the age would have made it less so) - loads of orange marmalade flavors, along with hints of apricot - soft carbonation/mouthfeel - touches of safron and light spices - light vanilla and honey - a tiny bit of oak - lingering fruity esters in the finish - a slight bit of oxidation seems to be setting in, but this still might improve for another year or so.

Cloudy golden orange pour. Well retained, frothy, bulbous white head. Lacing thick and multi-dimensional. Biscuity malts, vanilla syrup, light tropical fruits, hay, clove and coriander. Also noted is a uproar of perfumy floral notes that resemble a blend of lavender, yeast and strong notes of wildflowers glazed with honey. This combination doesn’t wow, nonetheless it’s very unique for a Belgian strong ale and an aroma I could chomp away at all night. Flavor is at first very oaky and fruity, with more of a soft tangerine twist and light touch of quickly fading barrel character. Moderate to heavy spiciness and ample dry woodiness. Yeastiness is as heavy as I’ve encountered in any Allagash beer, but it’s that wonderful strain they typically employ so it’s no bother, only complimentary, providing a spicy background array of flavor and depth. The malt is soft but generous, prickling with peppery and tropical esters. A touch of toast is noted. Very well spiced. Becomes mildly syrupy in mid-mouthfeel. Finishes thick and lingering, semi-sweet and moderately spicy. Palate is medium bodied, vibrant and mildly sticky. Alcohol is relatively well hidden throughout. Good beer, not great.

Pours a cloudy golden. Aroma is light - yeast, spice, lots of fruit. Flavor is similar to the nose, just with the priorities shifted. More spice, less fruit, even yeast. Bit of carbonation across the tongue.

Sampled at the O-Town throwdown. Pours a hazy straw color. The aroma is fruity and yeasty, pretty nice. The flavor is smooth fruit fruitiness front to back. Also some slight yeasty spice in there to mix it up a bit with the fruit notes.

Pours a cloudy yellow/gold with an off white head. Yeasty aroma has hints of citrus and spice. Flavor is a sweet citrus with a creamy texture that has a mild dry finish. Very refreshing!

Wow the aroma on this is great.Lots of citrus creeping out of this.Pours a pleasant color of hay.It was quite inviting.The body was light with a citrus flavor.The alcohol was well hidden.I really enjoyed this one and would like to get more if it wasn’t retired.

Pours a hazy gold with a very thin white head. Looks pretty crisp. Smells of spicy citrus fruit, very much like a saison. It has a pretty nice crisp, sugary citrus taste to it. A touch of some sweet malts and orange peel round out th flavors. The finish is extremely smooth and tastes pretty fresh for its age. Pretty refreshing. I liked it.

Cotton candy aroma. pours golden blonde. The flavor is sweet, honey, with hints of oak. The finish is a little dry.