Unibroue Édition 2004

Formerly brewed at Unibroue (Sapporo)
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Chambly, Canada

Thanks to rollinhard for forwarding this vintaqe beer. Drinking well. I didn’t have this one the first time around but it is pretty interesting now. Almost reminds me of a mellowed alcholoic orangina. Plenty of carbonation and citrus taste. Smooth caramell aroma. The mouth feel reminds me of an oak aged beer. Full bodied brew. Slight alcoholic and sugary finish. Very enjoyable. Get this if you still can.

750 ml bottle poured a clear copper amber with a small lasting amber head. Aromas of spice, carmel, toffee and a hint of brown sugar. Palate was light to medium bodied and crisp. Flavors of cinnamon, ginger, carmel anf toffee with a crisp lingering spiced finish.

341ml bottle acquired in trade. Poured a deeper and cloudy amber color with a large sized off white head. Lots of small floaters. Aromas of yeast, spicey, bready, and lightly fruity. Tastes of caramel, toffee, bananas, apples, lighter yeast, candi sugar, and had a lighter spiciness to it. Alcohol content well hidden. This one is ages nicely.

Sampled from a 750 ml brown bottle this beer poured a very cloudy orange-amber color with a large creamy white head. The aroma was sweet, sugary, citrusy, yeasty and had a spiced apple undertone. The flavor was sweet, tangy and tart with a cinnamon spiced apple undertone and an element of brown sugar. The beer is quite full bodied.

Pours a cloudy peach with little to no head. Really interesting aromas, major spices, big funkiness, and some nutmeg. Its got that typical Unibroue yeast, but some major funky flavor. Some nice caramel and brown sugar dominates the flavor. The alcohol is quite noticeable and lasts throughout. Not bad for how old it is.

[bottle from Tico] Nice cerealy aroma with characteristic Unibroue yeast esters and lots of candy like sugar. Hazy amber orange with quickly dissipating top. Sort of alcoholic flavour, but with nice fruity and spicy character and well balanced with respect to bitterness. A bit dry with too much sugar added, I think. Medium to light body and warming.

Production date of 5-5-04. Pours a cloudy amber-gold color under a handsome fluffy thick white head. Some spotty lacing left as the chalice drains. Somewhat of a strange, almost slightly off-aroma not expected of a Strong Belgian style ale. Extremely floral and perfumy with notes of over-ripe berries. Somewhat distracting. I’m typically very careful in keeping my aged beers at proper cellar temps and I’m tempted to say this big 10.5% ’er perhaps did not age gracefully since the ale’s aromas had a bit of an oxidated quality. Mouthfeel was very nice; full, round and lively. Flavor profile was similar to the aroma; overtly fruity sweet and sherry-like. Some pleasant malt and biscuity-yeast notes were able to sneak in under the gate also. Finish was warm and long with a nice balance between the alcohol and fruity sweetness. An interesting brew but I expected more.

Bottle. Deep gold pour, some sediment, a nice large white head and good lacing. Fruity aroma with a dose of spice, honey, and some floral notes. Aroma also has a bit of sherry oxidation that does seem to blend well with the rest of aroma and there is quite a bit of alcohol. Flavor is sweet malts, honey, some pear and apricot, and a hint of floral hops on the finish with a load of alcohol. Again the flavor has a touch of sherry from the oxidation. Medium body with just a touch too much carbonation. Overall it’s a pretty middle of the road belgian strong that aged OK, but not great.