Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale

About all this beer had going for it was the appearnace, which was hazy reddish-orange with good brown head and excellent lacing. Unfortunately, looks ain’t everything. This was so incredibly sweet, in both the nose and taste, that it overwhelmed everything else. I kept sipping it slowly as it warmed, hoping that something else would pop through, even the alcohol, to tame the sweet, but to no avail. It was like drinking a bottle of Karo Syrup, without the corn flavor. This ended up being one of the 3 or 4 on my ratings list which I have drained-poured before finishing. Sorry, but this crap was really nasty.

This is one dark amber coloured beer. Despite it being almost perfectly translucent, it’s dark eough you can’t see through it well. There’s a semi large head on the pour, but it doesn’t stay. Fruit, fruit, and more fruit in the aroma. Some citrus peaks through, but there are a ton of date/rasian like flavours in there. This is hugely sticky and thick, sugary almost. Which doesn’t surprise me as this is probably the sweetest beer i’ve ever had. The hops are non-existent, which surprises me considering the large hop bill. I was excited to try this, but think it’s just a bit much for me. At $8.00 a bottle, i don’t think I’ll be sticking any of this into the cellar to see if it mellows a bit.

The pour is a clear deep copper color with a tan head that quickly fades and leaves no lace on the glass. Nose is huge sweet fruit – raisins, dates, and plums - with a bit of caramel mixed in. Alcohol is definitely present in the aroma as well. The palate is heavy and sticky, almost chewy on the tongue with barely any carbonation. The first taste was sweet candy covered fruit that covered the slightly spicy finish. The label boast of Magnum, Galena, Saaz, Hallertau, Tettnang, and Hersbrucker hops, they must all be covered by the tons of malt – but then I guess that’s the point with this beer.

I had a taste at the Stone Brew festival 2006. I’m sorry but this was a nasty beer, it was ridiculously sweet and strong. Flavors were all over the place, just wasn’t my kind of brew.

This was a treat to myself on Halloween. Pours deep reddish amber with a rich rocky tan head. The aroma is sweet and caramely with a lot going on. Picking up musty malt, tons of richness, some alcohol, molasses, dark fruits. A lot is going on. Thick slick body that glides down. This is definitely as sipper. Taste starts with sweetness that has honey, brown sugar, dates, raisins, a ton of candi sugar and some alcohol burn. The finish has some alcohol burn with the boatload of sweetness. Belgium earthiness starts coming out further down the glass. This strikes me a Belgium made American style Barleywine. Good beer, but don’t know how often I would want it.

Very very sweet and heavy. Not my favorite from Avery but very enjoyable. Listening to Andrew WK makes this beer even better.

2005 bottle enjoyed at cellar temp. A strong port, honey, dark fruit, and wood aroma. A dark red/brown/burgundy color. Very sweet dark fruit flavor. Molasses, port, plum, raisen, a little spice, and some alcohol. Even though you can taste the alcohol it is still well hidden considering the abv. To sweet, but an odd beer that is enjoyable.

2005 Bottle. Rich nose: Very vineous, portlike, wooden, honey, herbal edges Mahagony colour, low head. Quite sweet, wooden, light citric hop residuals and oils. Wood, a hint smoke, Oily mouthfeel, dry in back of throat. Perfumed resin aftertaste. Wood. fascinating treat.