Unibroue Édition 2005

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

Bottle: Deep reddish brown with a fading head and some lace. The aroma has notes of earthy yeast esters (pipe tobacco, steak), currant, banana, black cherry, clove, smoke and bready malts, and a touch of tarragon. The taste starts quite fruity and supported by a nice malty backbone. Midesection shows a light bitterness and lots of spicy notes. mostly mundane allspice. The finish is earthy and a bit heavy on tobacco and smoked meat characteristics. The feel is initially lively but does get a bit one-diminsional on the palate should you drink the whole bottle by yourself, alcohol is well hidden but will warm you up after awhile. A good brew that should only get better. I fully expect this to be one of the best beers ever by Unibroue in about a year.

Bottle from HWC: Black in color with ruby highlights when held up to bright light. Medium fast fading light tan head. Aroma is wine like and fruity with some yeast. Sweet dark fruit (plum and cherry) start with a hint of green apple and a dry, peppery, spicy finish. Palate is lively and champange like. 10% ABV slightly noticable and warms the face.

Bottle. Dark brown-mahogony beer with a beige head. Sweet, fruity, yeasty malt aroma - grape and cherry over brown sugar. Very fruity flavor (again chery, and grape, with some cola). Sweet candy malts with a bit of spice. I usually don’t like Belgians that are this sweet, but it has some complexity and enough robust flavor to back it up. Should age well.

Rosen brown in appearance with a nearly gray head, tracing the edges. Aroma is bananas, cloves, pepper and chocolate covered pecans. All flavors indicate this is a weizen bock. We’ve got the big wheat and cloves. Some cinnamon sprinkled apple cider flavors, nutmeg and dry chocolate shavings to sweeten the deal. Effervescent and elixir of the palate. Delicious. Thanks to JPDISPO for bringing the bottle!

Bottle. Dark brown color with a laced tan head. Banana, nuts, plums, cinnamon, and malty nose. Somewhat syrupy at the front as it lays down the fruity flavors and finishes dry and spicey. A nice finish.

Thanks to JPDIPSO! Smells very good. Fruity, spicy, plums, a good cigar. Malty, goodness. The appearance is a rich dark mahogany with an off-white head that has decent lacing. The flavor is really tasty. Oaky pear, peach, nectarine, wood.

750 ml bottle corked and caged pours a dark reddish brown with a nice creamy light brown head that leaves a sticky lacing in my glass. Aromas of chocolate and bread. Flavors of leather, wood, chocolate, honey, apple, pear, caramel and spicy cookies. Medium bodied with a perfect crisp, carbonated mouthfeel, finishes dry and spicy.

Brown tinted, good head, collapsing; hazy Coca-Cola colour. Gorgeous fruity nose, dark tobacco and dark malts, touch of coriander, but blending masterly into dark fruit aromas (plums, peach, mulberry, dark grapes...). Rather severe taste, lots of liquorice. Some fruitiness retronasal, all the same. After some time, a mild bitterness creeps around the corner, reminiscent of some spice-based liqueur. Very light, thinnish MF, but velvety texture on the tongue. In the aftertaste, the bitterness gets a woody character, dry and tart-grapey. Quite the beer. Hides its alcohol, but shows obvious ageing potency. Pity about the points lost for the thin liquorice start. Thanks, Sylvain!