Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale

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

Batch 4 brewed in 2006 12 oz bottle purchsed at Spirits. Poured a clear dense reddish/brown with a large light tan head that leaves a thick pool of head that coats the top of the beer like an oil slick. Sticky sweet aroma of dark fruit, honey. molasses, candied brown sugar, slight alcohol and some light floarl notes. Thick full bodied that fills the mouth yet slides down your throat as smooth and creamy as a milk shake. Noticable carbonation creeping up on the back of my throat competing with a lsight alcohol warming. Very sweet flavor that dances around in your mouth with notes of sugar, honey, maple syrup, figs, prunes, grains, slight alcohol and a malts. Not sure why I’m suprised since I have basically loved everything I have tried from Avery but let me say it....Holy Fuckin Shit is this stuff good. I just can’t figure out why it’s not sold in six packs ridiculous ABC be damned. I’m stocking up on this one!!!!!!

2006 12oz bottle. Pours a hazy crimson-hued amber with a tan head that dimples as it slowly fades. The nose is insanely complex, with suggestions of raisins, honey covered dark pitted fruits, vinous malts, orange zest, molasses and a peppery overtone. The first sip overwhelms the palate with intense sweetness and high viscosity. The carbonation sizzles on the tongue as the syrupy liquid coats tooth and gum. It is boozy and vinous, more like a barley wine if I had to guess, but Belgian Strong is a vague enough category for it to fit. The raisins, dates and multitudes of sugars used are very much apparenet. Alfalfa sprout has a significant presence in the finish. The palate duration is very long and sticky, leaving flavours of honey, jagery, pepper, candy sugar and plum (and other dark fruits). Outstanding offering from a brewery that has yet to dissapoint me.

Tasted batch 1, batch 3 and batch 5 in verticale tasting at avery brewery on bottle. Wow great beers. Very high alcohol. Worth while tasting vertical, even as a 5th beer

Had at the Flying Saucer in Ft. Worth - Bottle / Batch 5 - Nose was Tabasco Pepper Sauce, or at least that’s what i could equate it to. Initial taste was nearly sweet, very smooth, no real over alcohol taste, very well hidden, the finish was spicy, definatly would drink again.

Batch 5, courtesy of mgermani. Pours deep ruby-copper, wispy beige head with thin lacing. Aroma is almost Wasabe-esque, horseradish, pickled ginger, hint of turmeric. Flavour is wildly alcoholic (no surprise there), slightly sugar-caney, with a robust profile of noble hops that’s difficult to pin down. Spicy and herbal notes prevail. Finish is long, warm and boozy. My socks were knocked clear into next week. Spectacular!

Batch 2, 18.1%

Deeply copper-colored with truly red highlights, tiny wisps of carbonation and a small & fading sand-colored head. Intriguing aromas with citrus, cherry, wood/smoke, BIG alcohol and a touch of smoked fish. One sip off the bomber and I knew I was looking at an "all-nighter". Moderately sweet start to a moderately bitter finish with plenty of fruit in between... carried in a rich, strong and syrupy package. Almost a "10", but it was a touch too alcohol-infused.

This was delicious. A cross between a Belgian Strong and a Barleywine.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Liquors, Chicago, IL<font size=-1>

2004. 18.1%. I’ve not had the 15.7% version, but there is a big difference between the 14.9% and 18.1%. They should have separate entries. Clear, dark amber/ruby. Surprisingly large, frothy tan head hangs around a few minutes before receeding to a thin layer. Nose is big, sweet, rich malt, candi sugar, strong but muted hop presence, alcohol (mellowed greatly with time), pungent, past ripe fruit, unnameable spices, earth, brimstone - the hellfire has faded away as far as the aroma is concerned. I think I smell a bit of heaven in there, also. Complex is an understatement. Sip. Candi sugar, fermented fruit, rich malt, indiscernable spices and botanicals, hops lurking in the shadows every now and again facing up to the palate just to let themselves be known, earthy brimstone - all the flavors pillaging and razing taste buds atop a deceptive layer of hellfire alcohol that shows its true nature only in the finish. RateBeer needs a GrandCru category. This is not a belgian strong - if it is, it’s The Terminator and almost every other belgian strong is Lord Dark Helmet. Full, balanced body. It seems to have gained carbonation while waiting for me to drink it. I love beers that take their style to the limit. The Beast (18.1%) is the epitome of grand cru.

Aroma is slightly acidic, but also yeasty and hints of nuts... Pours a medium dark amber with decent lacing. Flavor is quite sweet, leaning hard towards being syrupy, but has a nice hint of spice to round it out. Flavor lingers on the palate for a few minutes, and the syrupiness makes for a nice mouth appeal in the end.