Unibroue Édition 2005

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

(750ml bottle) Dark brown body with a trace of red, with medium beige head. Aroma is medium sweet, Unibroue yeast, banana, almond, some alcohol astringency, light prune. Taste is sweet, alcohol, raisin, plum, light banana. Watery medium-full body, undercarbonated mouthfeel. I generally think very highly of the Unibroue line of big beers, but this time, sadly, the emperor is alcohol-laden and wears no clothes.

Bottled. POurs a dark brown with red hues. Fading, off white head. This beer smells awesome. Very lively aroma of dark fruits, cherries, bread and slightly spicy. Raisin and plum flavors along with more spices. Very carbonated. Dry, spicy finish with just a tinge of warmth. Nice

Poured a dark purple, with a light tannish head, plum, grape and bread in the aroma, flavor is sweet, grape, plum, and yeast. Finish is slightly alcoholic. Quite impressive

Less complex than last year’s Edition, this is still quite a good drink. It pours a Coca Cola color with a fizzy tan head that rapidly self-destructs into a film. The aroma is of dark juicy fruits - cherries and plums - with some hot spiciness. Light-bodied, it tastes tart with the fruitiness, raisins and prunes now being added, along with some white pepper spices, mint, clove, coriander, and other goodies. It’s got a spicy, dry alcohol finish. Quite a tasty, warming beverage.

Deep brown mahogany with a big, light tannish head of foam. Resides at a regular pace to its lasting light skim and firm collaring. Minimal and drippy lacing, none to any stick in tiny dotting. Aroma is tame and a bit subdued with a dark tangy orange/plum/cherry fruit and some notes of estery alcohol spice. Taste has a moderate amount of tangyness with a solid display of darker fruits of raisin, cherry, plum, and tossed in for good measure, dulled orange peels. Breezy chocolate within - faintly so. Drys out just past midway with a light woodish tilt, then gets a bit spiced with alcohol and pepper. Mellows out into the finish some were it combines some lighter fruit pits and peels. with the dry wood and spice. Yeasty leftovers bring corriander notes. Even later the heat hits at the far back of the throat. Feel is close to medium bodied with a peppy carbonation, a bit harsh at first, rough edges in a few areas but mellows out a tad as it warms. Tangy and dry with a lighter enhanced alcoholic heat. A bit uneven in the carbonation though thats seemingly taking away from the taste some. Perhaps a bit young yet, it isn’t as drinkable as some of the super yummy - top notch Belgian Darks that I like. A little harsh on the tongue but tastes about right. A half year or more of sittin’ may help even it out. Perhaps another bottle, another day, far, far, away...

Just about as fine as it gets. Absolutely dazzling complexity at cellar temp. Sweet, toffee, tart in a dried cherry sort of way. Very complex. No head.

Reddish mahogany pour under a rocky beige head with good retention and fair lacing. Sweet port-like aroma with fig and dark fruits, pepper, yeast and malt. Aggressive and complex flavors with more dark fruit, spices, caramel and waves of sweet malt - but not overpoweringly sweet. Soft mouthfeel with just a tinge of carbonation and a long, complex and sweet finish with a welcome alcohol warmth at the end. Get a few bottles if you can and cellar them for several months.

spicy and vinous nose, immediately. pours like a light reddish white wine. dark fruity body. almost like a darker version of a weisse--banana, clove, spice, herb, mint, plum... after each swallow there is an aroma that is felt in my mouth--lively, fizzy, yet full, and soulful. nutty, caramel notes as it warms. pretty darn good and it gets better as it warms. good, but a bit too much weisse-ness.