Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale

Sweet. Malty. Intense alcohol content. While I’ve had this one long ago, much props to my brother in law for sending me a new bottle from his trip to Colorado. Very nice American Grand Cru.

Bottle. Nice head with good duration. Color is ruby amber. Aroma is rich with fruits and slcohol. Taste is extremely powerful with lots of fruits, molasses and alcohol.

2006 Bottle. Pours out brown/slightly reddish with a small to moderate off white head. Aroma is of sweet fruit, molasses, and alcohol. Taste is complex, up front sweet syrupy alcohol, fig, some dark fruit. Warming alcohol on the finish. Overall not a bad beer, but too syrupy for my taste.

My bottle was dated as being produced Nov 2006, and was of the 14.6% ABV variety. I was grateful to have the oportunity to sample this very unique beer. But I found it to be a bit punishing to drink, although its pleasures slowly revealed itself to me as I sipped away at a 12 oz bottle (poured into a Michelob Celebrate glass which has never [and will never] contain Michelob Celebrate [thanks Michelob!]). This beer pours an intense ruby-red with a light white head which had good staying power. This beer succeeds at its intended mission (as I understand it), which is to compete with liquors like cognac and brandy. The aroma is intensely malty, cerealy, and boozy. True to its origins as a beer, flavor was also very malty, but with an alcohol astringency and malt-ball flavor that was difficult to adjust to. As the nearly 15% ABV warmed my mouth, throat, and belly (which took only a few sips), I warmed to the beer, but have trouble calling the flavor superior or the beer drinkable. Mouthfeel was difficult to discern due to the intensity of this beer. But, it was not especially viscous, nor thin. I thought this beer was very unique, but a bit difficult to drink. Its appeal was certainly not immediately apparent, but for an acquired taste I thought it pleasant, as evidenced by the fact I’m looking forward to Samael’s and Mephistopheles waiting for me in my fridge (for another night...not tonight). Recommended.

Bottle. 2007 batch 5. Mostly sweet aroma with lots of spice and alcohol. Dark fruit as well as some tropical (pineapple?) fruit notes. Pours deep copper with a creamy off-white head. Big boozy flavor. Quite sweet up front with the pineapple notes appearing again. Malty and hoppy in the middle with a aharp alcoholic bite on the finish. Full bodied. Rich and mouth coating. This one’s all over the map.

22 oz bottle, Batch 2 from 2004, 18.1%. Pours a crystal clear dark copper body under a thin head composed of large bubbles that quickly run to a thin ring. The nose is quite alcoholic, as I expected, with a pretty hefty amount of oxidation. Some dark cherry, caramel, dates, figs, and candi sugar. The first sip takes me aback. No way I’m finishing half of this bomber, let alone 22 ounces. Big, huge alcohol and bigger oxidation overlay heaps of risidual sugars. Lots of bitterness on the rocket fuel-esque finish. The mouthfeel is not overly thick, medium to full bodied, but not sticky or cloying. Most likely because of all the ridiculous alcohol actually thins it out some. Kinda like adding paint thinner. Moderate slightly fizzy carbonation. The finish just burns all the way down the esophagus. Overall, this was pretty horrorshow. I can’t believe that Avery thought a 22 ounce serving of this was a good idea.

Pours light amber into snifter with thin, fast-dissipating head. Strong, sweet aroma of dates, raisins, and alcohol. Flavor is intense, syrupy sweet -- I’d have to say cloying. Exploding flavors of assorted sugars; primarily dates, port, and brown sugar. Almost tastes of fruitcake. Hot alcohol finish -- can’t hide that 16.42%. Most definitely not a session beer, not even two. A sipper, but certainly an interesting experiment in pushing the limits of brewing. I’d recommend Samaels over this.

Pours amber with a comforting 1 inch tan head. Carbonation is evident from numerous rocketing bubbles. Lace is cloying and stubborn. Strong notes of caramel, oak, and dark fruits on the nose. Same flavors with much more molasses, candy sugar, toasted malts, subtle green raisin, and alcohol presented on the palate. Avery didn’t even try to disguise the ABV here; it is a clear and present danger. Medium carbonation and full-bodied. A little too sweet for me, but still good nonetheless. Too bad it doesn’t snow in Florida; this beer would be much more inviting under frigid circumstances.