Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale

2005 bottle intot a St. Bernardus chalice. I really hessitated to buy this one. 7.29 for a 12.oz beer is tough. Pours nicely with a rich white head. At least they had theh good since to bottle condition this beer. I think that carbonation was what really saves this beer from being flat fermented malt syrup. Dark crimson hue, very rich. The nose is a loud, very loud. The palate is sweet and malty, dark fruit, dates, plums, and molasses. Huge alcohol. Almost wakes you up with every sip. I can feel the enamel on my teeth slipping. The CO2 and an uexpected hoppiness and bitter roast show up on the finish to dry this one out. Interesting, I’m glad I tried it. Would I come off the hip with the money again? Probably not. Would I say this wouuld be an ager? Maybe, but I would say that it would be a 50/50 chance. Worth a try, but, make this the only beer you have that sitting. This one put me on my ass. Re-rate, 2009. 2005 bottle also, interesting that I would see this one again. Hazy oxblood color throws a timid head with no plans on hanging around. Nose is overwhelmed with raisins, dates, and blackberry preserves. Seems the secondary sugar additions have held up well. The booze is still here, not as firey as it may have once been, but still warming in the chest. The mouthfeel is very sweet and viscous still, although I think it may have dried out a little. Very reminiscent of a sweet, raisined marsala. Sticky sugar and honey fruit notes dominate the finish as the brandy in this beer struggles to dry. Certainly shows to be more complex than upon release. Even after 4 years in the cellar this Beast needs another 4 or 10 perhaps.

This one is just pungent and tough. I know these are popular beers but I just can’t get into the style. Sweet plum sauce taste with a bitter finish. Portwine tastes and aromas overpower with an alcoholic backwash. Interesting beer just not my speed.

bottle. clear amber color. very small head. strong barly aroma. extremely sweet and alcoholic. lots of barly.

Bottle. This is insanity. 14,9%. Red and brownish in colour with almost no head. Not for the timid. Sweet - prunes - raisins - figs and very alcoholic.

2005 bottle shared with GregClow, Hogtown Harry, Jerc, and Blankboy, thanks big time to Harry and Dave B for the chance to try it. Wonderful fiery red, bubbly small head. Huge alcohol aroma, very rich, malt. Lovely taste: lots of alcohol but enough malt to back it up, very sweet and spicy. Much easier to drink compared to the D’extra from Dogfish head earlier in the night. Nice beer.

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry, GregClow, jerc & tupalev -- courtesy of HogTownHarry. Pours a dark ruby with a small diminishing off-white head. Huge aroma of sweet malt, fruit, brown sugar, hops and alcohol -- kind of like a strong Barley Wine. Flavour: Holy friggin’ alcohol! Wow, that packs a punch. Sweet sugary malt flavour with dark fruit, wood and hops and did I mention lots of alcohol? Still, it’s quite tasty and it works so long as you take your time and sip this bad boy. Medium to full bodied. Great stuff but I suggest sharing a bottle with a few friends.

Bottle (12oz - 2005 vintage). Shared with blankboy, GregClow, jerc and Tupalev - my bottle, thanks to my friend Dave B. Poured a beautiful clear bright refractive ruby with a small creamy tan head. Huge nose of apricot and woody, sweet alcohol - wait, didn’ we try this already? Wait, that was the Dogfish Head 10 Years Alt - similar beers, but this one seems smoother, some how. This one has a hint of lactose and mushrooms. There’s definitely a huge hit of alcohol on first sip (yes, SIP it), but not really overwhelming to me - I tasted dark steeped fruits (sweet), wood, yeast, a fair amount of resiny hops - very nice! - this has a long and big alcohol/bitter finish, but it seems barely still under control. Mouthfeel is pretty much all alcohol and syrup, the other elements try to get involved, but in the end they sit back and watch the booze smother the hops with the help of the sweet sticky malt. Very strong, but I liked it - just a wee bit more than the DFH Alt.

Bottle (2005) shared with blankboy, jerc, HogTownHarry & tupalev - courtesy of HogTownHarry. Beautiful burnished ruby-amber colour. Big aroma of sweet malt, buckwheat honey, brown sugar and alcohol. Flavour has lots of alcohol heat, along with sour cherry, wood, molasses and dried dark fruit. Good stuff, but I sure couldn’t imagine drinking a whole bottle myself.