Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale

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

Bottle. Dark brown, thick-looking. Candy-sugar taste, thick maltiness. Apples, pear, intense sweetness. Goes well with the cheese queadilla kind of thing that JoeT and JenT make. My only complaint is something a bit off in the aftertaste. What a night this was, with two drinks above 15% and a 20%!

Sampled at From The Vine beer tasting Jul 9th, 2004: Pours a ruby brown color with a medium thick and creamy beige head. Decent lacing. You know you are in trouble when you smell this one. Raisins, port wine, malt and chocolate abound. The body is very thick yet startlingly smooth, with flavors of dark fruit, malt, hops and dark chocolate. The alcohol is felt on the throat more than it is tasted. The finish is sweet with roasted malt and caramel. I was really suprised at how easy this beer is to drink, but taking on an entire bottle by myself might be a chore.

Bottled. Deep ruby, clear, small head. Big aromatic, vinous toffee aroma. Rich, soft maltiness. Sweet, but not disturbingly so. Almondy with a hint of licorice and some raisin. Thick, deep, syruy mouthfeel. Peppery hoppy finish. An enourmous, over-the-top ale that works well - at least in small amounts. This beer would do well from aging (and being available in smaller bottles).

We make a a good pair, this beer and I. Beauty and the Beast. I do believe carnal relations with this creature is illegal in most states. 12 oz. bottle (’05 15% rendition), all I could handle. May be the most ridiculous beer I’ve had yet, which may be saying something. This or Founders Devil Dancer IIIPA. Heavy portly fumes, very slick-syrpuy with fruity undertones heavy on the sugar. This one doesn’t even bother trying to hide the alcohol. How does one even rate something like this? Along some dimensions it’s fabulous; along others almost sickening. It’s akin to a barley wine with a bunch of figgy sweetness crammed right in there. I give it a couple extra points just for being so ridiculous. The Beast may be foolish and ignorant, but it’s got guts, and that’s good enough. Carry on, ladies.

2004 bottle. Pours a dark maroon-brownish tan. Big tan head, thick and aromatic. Lots of plums, candi sugar, alcohol, earthy hops and yeast. Big aroma that is fruity, estery and fills your nose. Though I couldnt get past the over-the-top nature of The Czar, I could handle this stuff. Drinking it warmed proved to let out the alcohol, but it seemed almost controlled by the huge malt, but also the big yeasty flavor and well-timed bitter hops balance. Palate, while being hugely bitter, alcoholic and sweet, is just superbly smooth and washes down with a soft, slow burn. Hints of banana and bubble gum on the finish, warm and vinous with tons of sugar. Hey, you can’t fault the flavor, and I even think this one is going to improve after a year. I never thought it possible with the Czar, but it proved me wrong, so why can’t this one?

Thanks to ecrvich for sending this my way! Clouded reddish brown. The nose is huge on this one. Sweetened malt and alcohol along with spices and fruits. A full bouquet of things to come! There's some sugary sweeteness, spices, bold alcohol notes, some rum-soaked fruit, light hops and caramel making up the flavor of this Beast (pun intended!). The alcohol kick is very noticeable, but I like big beers like this and it doesn't detract from enjoyment. Damn good beer!

Very good and intense Stong Belgian ALe. Strong sweet malt, dark fruit, and alcohol flavors. Finishes bitter sweet, chewy, and dry.

Slight cardboard in the nose on top of stewed black cherries soaked in calvados.Smooth palate at first, silky and rich, then with a slight ginger like heat, followed by an "enveloped in fog" sort of effect. A very nice, though not perfect, ultra huge digestif beer.