Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale

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

2003 vintage sampled at O’Briens from a 1.5L Chimay challace. A year of aging does wonders for this beer. Dark mahogany in color, creates a HUGE offwhite head. Aromatics are rich and sweet of carmelized bananas, cherries and yeast. Flavor is loaded with dark dried fruits... figs, raisins, dates, prunes and lots of caramel and a tinge of alcohol. Very full bodied on the palate, with a thick syrupy quality. Excellent dry finish with a very minor alcoholic burn. Top notch.

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.

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!

2005 Bottle. Rich nose: Very vineous, portlike, wooden, honey, herbal edges Mahagony colour, low head. Quite sweet, wooden, light citric hop residuals and oils. Wood, a hint smoke, Oily mouthfeel, dry in back of throat. Perfumed resin aftertaste. Wood. fascinating treat.

A big beer in every sense of the word. Red with no visible carbonation. Nose dry and fruity, woody and hoppy. Flavor is quite sweet and a bit spicy, malts are there. Very well-masked, alcohol amazingly hidden considering strength. Dry at end with good hops. Nice mouthfeel as well.

A hazy ruby, chestnut/brown. Quickly diminishing head, carbonation slowly rising through beer, slight lace barely clinging on. Incredible aroma of candied sugars, toffee, slight caramel, peppery spices, banana, estery (other fruit), very aromatic yeast, moderate hop presence and alcohol. Full bodied, slightly syrupy, smooth as hell, better then slight carbonation. First thing I get is a huge belgium-like flavor rush of sweet malt interplaying with the sugars, esters and luscious yeast character. Just a very belgium, quadruple profile. The alcohol is there for sure but not distracting at all. The hops are hardcore but the bitterness is kept at bay by the seducing sweetness and vice-versa. Flavor is sweet but very integrated and balanced with nuances that jump in and out through the whole session. Warming in the chest and alot of fucking fun to drink. Very dangerous brew. I bet 6 months in cellar will make him a totally different beast. Thank you Ecrvich.