Allagash Victor

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

2007 on tap at Capones. Pours a caramel orange color with minimal white head. Excellent lacing. Aroma of grapes and yeast. Flavor is super sweet with lots of grapes upfront and on the back end. No alcohol presence depsite being 10%. Decent though too sweet.

25 and 2/5 ounce bottle, 9%, $15.99, from Beverages & More! Fairway. Pours an orange-copper, clear body, with a compact ivory head. The grapes are apparent in the aroma. Aroma is acidic, sour, fruity, vinous - very nice. BOOM - The red grapes are there right up front, almost in a Welch’s purple grape juice way; they’re a lot sweeter than expected. From there it’s a little downhill to a boring finish. Not as sour or acidic a flavor as I’d anticipated. Not a bad flavor by any means, just could’ve been so much more with this formula I think. Pretty dry finish, medium viscosity. Not bad in the end, but I can see now why this is rated as much lower than Victoria as it is. Overall, good.

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.

2009-11-27. Golden yellow body with a modest foamy white head and light lace. 3+ Aroma is a bit alcoholic, dry malt, pale, light fruity character. Flavour is quite dry, modestly alcoholic, pale malts, fruity character, modest grapes. 7+ Average plus palate. Decent, enjoyable, but not Allagash’s best. Bottle from Binny’s, Chicago.

"I drew this album cover." - Garthicus

[2599-20091127] 750mL bottle. Pencil lead yeast aroma. Slightly hazy, light orange yellow body with a medium-lasting foamy white head. Sweet thick yeasty flavour hints at old citrus. Medium body. Not sure about this, it started off well.
(Vintage 2009; w/ blankboy, garthicus, GregClow, HogTownHarry, jerc)

Corked bottle.
Pours a rich gold with a lively body and a thick head of white that leaves artwork along the glass. Aroma is a wheaty, grassy, Pilsnery cotton ball. Flavor is a coppery ball of yeast and slight plumb bread. A sweet, syrupy note lingers in the background and in the finish. Decent mouthfeel. Not the best beer I’ve had but it’s not bad. For the price tag, however, I won’t be buying anymore.

On tap at flying saucer. Pours a clear copper golden with a small white head that diminishes quickly. The aroma is a fruity floral hop. Thib mouthfeel with a fruity hop flavor that hides the alcohol well making it easy to drink. A very good belgian strong ale from allagash.