Abita 25th Anniversary Vanilla Double Dog

Brewed by Abita Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Covington, Louisiana USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

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ark brown pour with a tan head. Aroma is roasted malt and faint vanilla. Taste is the same as the aroma. It is a litle sweet and a little dry at the end. Happy Anniversary to Abita. It has been 10 years since i was in your doors. I hope to get back.

I really enjoyed this ale. The nose was weak but the flavor was nice. There was milk chocolate, soy sauce, and lots of vanilla. Abita sometimes struggles, I thought this one was much worthier of the ratings it’s received.

Coming out of the bottle this smelled like it might have been wood aged, but apparently it’s not. Vanilla and chocolate cake notes in the aroma. Brown/amber with a mahogany tinge and a tight tan head. Milk chocolate in the taste as well as a malted milk ball flavor. A slight sour edge follows this that may be from the hops which while present are mainly there to tame what would be an overpowering sweetness (and they do this well). A bit of salty minerality also. The body is fairly thin which makes this easy to drink. Finishes with a more bittersweet chocolate taste along with vanilla and a lasting dry woodiness. Happy 25th Abita!

Like a chocolate stout with vanilla tones. Cloudy chocolate color, off white head that settles and leaves soapy lacing on the glass. Aroma of cocoa with vanilla, similar taste that lingers on the palate.

Pours a dark copper color with a creamy of white head.The aroma is of vanilla with notes of coffee and dark chocolate.The flavor is of a light vanilla with that almost tasted watered down.The body was medium with a light bitter aftertaste.It was okay at best.

Poured from the bomber into my Abita shaker. Color is dark cola brown with a modest tan head. Aroma is primarily pale and caramel malt with hints of chocolate and earthy hops. Flavor is interesting - comes across very nutty from the malt mix with just a touch of softness from the vanilla. The chocolate and toffee come through faintly towards the finish. Like many vanilla beers I’ve had, the vanilla is noted more on the palate than the flavor. Overall this was decent, but I was expecting a little more.

Bottle at brewery. Dark brown with a fizzy off white head. Vanilla cola and caramel aroma and taste with chocolate notes and an earthy finish.

Appearance: clear dark brown under a big puffy thick head that resembles fresh baked bread. Head fades into a blotchy, bubbly, rocky puddle with random patches of lace.
Nose: raw vanilla bean root. Roasty in the back. Vanilla powdered milk, vanilla bean powdered cream. Burnt roasted chocolate bark. Dry tobacco leaf is an afterthought. Overall mild and relatively unassuming.
Palate: creamy with lactose milky vanilla bean on melted ice cream – milk shake comes to mind. Vanilla and chocolate coffee maple syrup. Cold coffee in the breath. Bitter chocolates and almonds. Develops a touch of plum and black cherry skins. Just enough – not too little, not too much. Vanilla is last – vanilla bean with a touch of rustic earthiness. Smoky underneath, like a crackling fireplace with marshmallows and chocolate and graham crackers.
Final Thoughts: yum and yum. Definitely not over the top and nicely balanced. A sessionable big beer in a big bottle. It may be an anniversary beer but hopefully Abita will see fit to brew this beer again, maybe as a seasonal.

Picked up a bottle in late January in Delaware. Poured it in a Stella Glass at cellar temp.

A - Poured a light to dark brown. 1 finger head of a coffee colored head witha nice mix of big and small bubbles

S - Toffee malts, brown sugar, vanilla and chocolate. Smells nice but very bland like an old chocolate milk that’s set out for a few hours.

T - Solid dark toffee taste. It’s a solid chocolate taste with hints of fake vanilla extract. Very bland and uneventful in my mouth.

M - 30/70 carbonation, medium bodied, lingering toffee and nutty roasted malts.

O - Maybe this beer was better fresh but it’s not as good as I hoped. Needs more vanilla.

Bottle shared by sonnycheeba. Pours clear dark brown with a small, frothy light tan head, short retention with light lacing. Aroma is cookie, chocolate and toast malt with dates, vanilla, and earthy hops. Flavor is malt dominant with chocolate and vanilla with faint hops and bitterness, dark fruity esters and a sweet finish. Medium body, warmth and carbonation.

Bottle. Pours deep, dark brown with average, frothy beige head; decent retention and spare lacing. Aroma is vanilla, roasted malt, chocolate, figs, plums, and earthy hops. Flavor is malt forward with supporting hops and fruit esters; vanilla undertones throughout with a dry finish. Medium body and carbonation with low warmth.