Unibroue Trois Pistoles

Brewed by Unibroue (Sapporo)
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Chambly, Canada

Dark brown with tan head. Aroma is yeast, spice and sweet malt. Flavor is the same with bread.

Pours a dark root beer color with a nice tan head, with good head retention... Aroma is fruity, slightly berry, mildly sweet and sugary, caramel and a tiny bit of smoke... Flavor is very belgian slightly yeasty touch fruity some faint chocolate and pitted fruits... Slightly dry not very sweet medium to medium full bodied with a touch of caramel and molassas lingering...

Sample at the Unibroue tasting at Blacklick Wine and Spirits on 4.10.09. Brown pour with a medium tan head. Notes of yeast, funk, malt and citrus. Sweet malty flavor with some yeast and a touch of funk.

Bottle. Pours very dark and cloudy brown with a beige head that never really goes away. Aroma is sweet ripe fruit, almost like a nice red wine, with notes of cherry, berry, prune and apricot. Full and velvety body. Flavors are subtle and never overpowering. Berry, plum, peach, yeast, raisin, and probably much more my unworthy palate can’t find. Very nice, very well balanced, easy to drink

Deep dark red colored with little ligth brown head. Sweet ripe fruity, plummy, spicy aroma with some raisinny vinous touch, good one, some dark chocolate and thin hosp also here. Medium to full bodied, smooth palate. Flavor is even richer with more chocolate and spices, aftertaste turns to nicely wooden with port vinous note and mild alcohol. Aftertaste lasts with port. Excellent flavor with fine balance. and smooth palate.

12 oz bottle. The aroma is strong, but not overtaking. Very rich and fruity. Notes of raisons, fig, and other darker heavier fruits, also roasted nut, sweet berries, and cookie malt. Pour was nice though not very unique, with a good amount of carbonation initially, a whispy thick cream layer of head when it settles, fairly thick bodied appearance, and crimson brown in color. The drinkability of this beer is excellent. All the flavors come out bold and strong, yet every flows down quite smoothly and not overly heavy. The actual flavor notes may not be all that unique either, but they come together very well. It was also alittle more fruity than expected with a good amount of darker, heavier fruits like raisins, fig, date blending with lighter fruits like apples, and mild berries. Some light sugary spices, cookie, and a minor nuttiness as well. A tasty, decently complex and well crafted brew, but I am undecided as to just how memorable i will find it as time goes by. Guess well find out.

Taste is . . . boring. Dark fruit, some cloves. Alcohol is well-hidden. Smooth mouthfeel. Drinkable, but unremarkable.

Disclaimer: I have never found a Belgium Ale that I like. This Trois Pistoles is only slightly different. From the get go I knew I was in trouble. This was the darkest Belgian I have ever seen. It had a copper hue that leaned into a greenish haze as it neared the rich head. It has a rich fruity odor akin to that of a Port Wine. Clearly a Belgian, but smoother and richer than any I had tried in the past It is very sweet with deep overtones of plum and grape. It is very smooth for its robust ABV and although stoutly Belgian I would not turn down another glass.