Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale

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

Bottle. This beer has all of the extreme qualities that I disliked in Memphistopoles. Way too sweet w/ prunes, fruit, figs, and raisins. Amazing how much this resembles Memphistopoles. Way too sweet for me.

Batch 4 2006 Whoa momma. First off this puppy has a 14.9% ABV in it, but it is masked by a complex and thorough palate. For some it might be a bit too syrupy or sweet, although I think right now that might have to do with it’s age. It pours a reddish hue with massive bubbles that I could almost stick a pencil through. Okay, maybe they are not THAT big. I wish I could lay this one down, but I am in a wandering stage right now in life, so it would only be able to sit for a few months instead of a few years. I think that the thick flavor is necessary to hide that nasty alcohol flavor that too many brewers leave in high ABV brews. This is a beer drinkers beer and not for the faint hearted, though we all know it would probably be best after it is allowed to mature.

04 Pours copper/red with a small white head. Aroma is cherries and sweet malts. Flavor was definately still hot with a hard alcohol bite. Some fruits and yeast also present. Still needs some aging.

Pours dark without much head. Smells very complex and malty. This is one of those beers that you can compare to port or cognac. Unfortunately, I do not like port or cognac. I don't see it as an American Westy or Rochefort. I know that it is higher in ABV, but this is extremely noticable. Very warming yes, but the overall effect is alcohol heat. It is almost like drinking Jack Daniel's (which I really hate...). This is overall a good beer and worth the experience, but the dominant alcohol flavor is too much.

rating #600 2007 edition. Orange with a thick baige head. Aroma is extremly malty, lots of grain and brewmash and its almost like you can smell the alchohol aswell. Flavor is overwhelming. Heavy thick body with flavors of caramel, suger molasses grain and alchohol. Its alot more like a strong barleywine than a belgian beer i think, which was abit disappointing.

12 oz bottle from Bev4less. Pours a translucent brown color with a small khaki head that soon dissipates to fine film. The aroma is strong with raisins, dates, plums and alcohol. The flavor is similar to the nose with emphasis on the alcohol( It is not well hidden). The mouthfeel is full and malty. The finish is long with a bit of alcohol burn. Overall: This would make my top 50 if only they could figure a way to hide the alcohol better. That aside, this is a good beer to drink on Halloween.

Clear copper brown colour. Nice fast dissappering head. Prunes, raisins and barleywine in the nose.Syrup andstronng taste. Some pepper hoppiness and grass in the end taste. Also some fruitcake notes and hints of muscatel grapes in the taste.

Bottle 2005. I can tell this beer is going to hit me hard. Very strong molasses aroma with raisin, fruit, a lot going on here. Interesting flavor. Initially, the fruit flavor is most present, but then the sweet sugar candy like flavor takes over. Next, a fairly strong alcohol bite, and lastly, a nice hoppy finish. It’s like a four step process. Maybe couldn’t put down more than one of these. I would also say that this tastes more like a barley wine than a belgian strong. The point deductions for me are mainly in the palate, because this is such a strong beer. It’s still pretty darn good though! Had to re-rate after initial because it is a little too much over the top for my tastes.