Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale

Brewed by Avery Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Boulder, Colorado USA

Not quite clear and orange in color.Very thick as evidenced by the bubbles struggling to rise to the surface. Creamy head. Pungent, floral, spicy, yeasty and alcoholic aroma. Bubblegum and candi sugar also. It burns of alcohol in the throat. The sweetness and body nearly balance the rubbing alcohol quality out but not quite. Beneath that is some malt, fruit and a hint of hops. Maybe this will mellow with age, but as is, it is too much for me.

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.

2004 vintage, 18.1% abv. Pours a clear, dark ruby red with tints of brown. Head is initially very large and off-white, but quickly dissipates to this thinnest of rings. Very sweet and thick aroma: plums, brown sugar, pineapple, toffee, green grapes, raisins, licorice, and quite a bit of alcohol. Moderately sweet flavor, with thick molasses notes nicely accompanied by subdued, spicy hops, dates and candied fruits. Mildly, yet sharply carbonated underneath the syrupyness - as I savor it in my mouth, I am unsure if it is the bubbles tingling my tongue, or the alcohol. Finish is moderately bitter and alcoholic. It tastes as strong as it sounds, and the alcohol is anything but well-hidden when tasted this young, though it is not too overpowering or astringent. A very warming beer for those cold winter months, or for sharing with the family on a Christmas Eve.

Wonderful spicy and sweet aroma, with a little bit of alcohol in the nose. No head really, on a dark copper body. Wow, holy crap sweetness in the flavor. More so than most other Belgians I've had. It masks the alcohol quite well. A very decent beer all around.

Clear amber color with a beige head. Aroma of sweet malt, caramel, smoke and some dark fruit. Flavor is sweet, malty, raisons, dates... The alcohol is pretty well hidden except for the warming effect. Has a hoppy finish.

[Vintage, Batch 4 - 2006] Bottle... Poured an opaque burgundy with a thick beige head. Aroma of brandy alcohol, rum alcohol, raisins and other fruit. Thick, chewy palate that really attacked the palate. Super bitter with strong malts and a thick syrupy, sugary alcohol dominance. Finished with cherries, molasses, and a honey sweetness. This beer is a Beast.

Graciously shared by jerc and mabel with HogTownHarry and I. 2005 bottle. Appearance: Murky brown, small wispy brown head. Aroma: Wow - I wouldn’t smoke around this! Boozy, even after 4 years aging, nutty, fruit skin, smoky Christmas pudding, figs and dark fruit. Flavour: Concentrated blackcurrant, syrupy, maple syrup, thick, boozy, LOTS of dark fruit, brandy, long alcohol finish. Woah.

Batch 4 (2006). I was a little scared by this beer at first. I wasn’t sure what to expect with it being 14.6%. Surprisingly even with the alcohol presence, this beer was extremely smooth and had a wonderful sweet flavor to it as it warmed.