Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale

I wish I had cellared this after reading all of the other ratings, but I didn’t so I had a sickly sweet drink that was a bit tough to choke down. I see the promise in it though if cellared for a couple of years.

Sampled the 2005 batch in November of 2006: Pours hazy brown/ burgundy with fading tan head. Potent aroma of thick caramel malts, pineyness, nutmeg spicyness, toffee sweetness and even more I couldn’t catch. Huge beer. Thick sweetness. Maple syrup, rum soaked raisins, sugar covered dates, piney like roastyness, brown sugar, ginger snap cookies, roasted honey, peppery alcohol, and has a smooth warming feeling. It is very sweet, but it never seems artificial and is balanced by a nicely roasted toffeeish maltyness and a toasty warming dryness. It would definitly age well. This is an excellently rich and dessert like beer, made for moderation.

This is a monster indeed. This beer should sit a while before drinking. Like a year or two to balance it out. Dark reddish colors, and belgian style nose. Very sweet and syrupy. The alcohol is quite apparent. Again, once this beer is cellared from a while all this balances out and makes a fine beer. But who wants to wait? Batches 1,2 and 3 tasted with 2 being the best after time.

Bottle - Batch #1 (15.7% abv). Reddish brown color with a laced light brown head. Strong spices, sweet, Christmas-like flavors (dates, candy spices, nutmeg), vanilla, and cinnamon. Warming and noticeable alcohol. Rating from 2004 notes. Thanks to Nuffield for this one.

12oz, Bottled in 2005. I’ve got a Batch 2 Bomber, but I refuse to drink her yet. This pours a slightly hazy reddish brown with a ring of small beige bubbles. Aroma of raisins, sour cherries, honey, vanilla, misc spices, and fairly vinous. Bone dry finish. Very syrupy body, lighter carbonation. Very port wine-like. Flavor is very sweet with all of the aforementioned aromas. This is a carbonated port wine, as far as I’m concerned, and I happen to like port wines, but I don’t believe those should be consumed in more than 2oz. Due to the sweetness of this brew, I might stand by that same rule for this one. This doesn’t seem Belgian at all to me. Update--having this a year later, and another 12ozer of Batch 3, and it’s much the same. It might be slightly mellower, but I can still tell its strong. And again, 12oz is enough for 4 people.

batch 3. spice. sugar and beasty wildness a little sour. dark kind brown with red tint. small head. sweet bitter sour spicy sticky. this shit awesome it. expect its too fucking sweet.

Dark amber pour with a minimal tan head. Port, malt, spun sugar, and dark fruits make up the aroma. Heavy taste. Thick with sugar, yeast, and malts up front that glides into a sherry and finally ends with a hop bitterness. Sticky, lingering mouthfeel and aftertaste. Gets better as it warms. Very good, just wish it was not $8 for a 12 oz bottle.

An incredibly sweet beer. Strong but not over-hopped, it certainly does not remind one of most beers of this style. Still. It’s good stuff.