Unibroue Trois Pistoles

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

Probably the finest after dinner beer I have ever tasted. Just try it -- but savor it over time, don't you dare gulp. It must be given its due in sips and... it's ABV takes the place of two lagers. It's just become available in the Chicago 'burbs. The slightest drawback can be its sweetness --but as a dessert beer, that's fine.

This might be one of my favorite beers of all time at this moment. If it’s too cold, you can’t get a lot out of this beer, but once it warms, you smell dark fruits (plums, at least I think), malt, alcohol, and a nice spicey cloviness. Taste is sort of the same but you get some carmelly flavors along with all the other aromas. Some yeastiness comes into the back ground if you shake the bottle too much when pouring, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing, it just adds to the complexity. Alcohol is a back seat driver with this beer, but it’s voice is heard in aroma and taste, but very slightly. Very well balanced for the amount of malt that should be in this beer. Coloration is deep, deep, copper to dark brown w/ some very nice ruby highlights and a fantastic head to start but it gets knocked down by the alcohol. Highly evervescent as a Belgian should be, it’s a nice change from the norm. Too much of this could be a good thing, but may very well be a very bad thing. FYI, this was a World Beer Cup Gold Medal winner for Belgian Strong Darks.

At 9% ABV, it hides the alcohol well. Nice vanilla aroma; goes down silky smooth. Beautiful. So sweet and rich, it is best indulged on occasion -- like a special dessert.

definitely didnt expect this... tho most of the unibroue brews are good, but this one was exceptional, the aroma was nothing to to jump about - but it did have a fruity scent to it, a dark reddish brown that was extremely cloudy, nice thick head to it, the flavor was spectacular - mild fruit essence - strong carbonation - nice malty sweetness, the flavor seemed to get better over the length of the bottle

Why the heck haven’t I tried this beer before? Amazing stuff, I truly hope that Sleeman’s recognizes the value of the micro-geek market and keeps this baby around. Dark brown appearance, fizzier than I was expecting. Marvelous aroma of peaches and apricots that reminds me of a massage oil that used to be produced by Crabtree & Evelyn. No comment as to the use of the massage oil. Flavor is slightly of alcohol, but is dominated by a lush malt complemented by a myriad of fruit flavors. A beautiful beer. Incidentally, nice to have the Spaniard rate this right before me.

Very nice strong ale, not unlike an Abbey dubbel. Pours a deep russet brown, almost opaque, with a thin, creamy beige head. Hints of plum and raisin in the nose. The taste is complex, dark licorice and fruit with a distinct alcohol bite. Creamy on the palate with a pleasant lingering sweetness. A very good beer.

Extremely dark beer...cannot be drunk all the time, alcohol is immediately felt in the aroma and on the palate. Fruity, with notes of plums and a touch of chocolate on the aftertaste. Not a beer for novices, as the mouthfeel is quite astringent. Still, one of my favorite beers for its complexity and strength. I will have to re-rate this once I taste La Terrible.

Pours cloudy dark brown with a large tan head and very strong lace. Aroma is strong; prunes, cherries, yeast. Flavor is sweet; very fruity, port, dried cherry, a little banana, a little spice. The dry finish, high alcohol and strong carbonation balances the brew nicely. Another excellent brew from Unibroue.