Unibroue 11

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

750mL split with pwn3d. Pours a bright cloudy orange with small head. The aroma is fruit and alcohol. Im guessing this is around 15% abv now that its aged for several years. The taste is very strong - with fruit again. I wish I could try this when it was first released. However, still a good beer considering the high alcohol.

Lots of people to thank for this one. First off to Harry - who saw that I was in search of this and posted it in the Eastern Canada forum to see if he could trade for it, for me (thanks Harry!). Next to rastacouere, who generously donated the bottle for nothing in return (yet! It will be repaid) - such is the generosity of a great ratebeerian! And finally thanks to Jerc and Mabel for carting this back from Mondial for me - now that’s a team effort! I shared the bottle, now very nicely aged, with Jerc, Mabel and Jon. Nice yeasty aroma - fruity, musty. Medium yellow, hardly any head. Great taste - very fruity, very sweet, very strong (still). Complex yet very drinkable, but potent - this has aged wonderfully well - a truly great beer. Thank you everyone!!

750mL bottle dated January 9, 2003. Poured brilliant brighter golden with a short-lived cap of white head and a whole lot of rising carbonation. The aroma picked up stronger peppery spices with medium-skinned fruits laced with alcohol.. digging deeper unearthed some oaky and tannin notes, very faint vinegar-dusted cherry, and another layer of fruit. The flavor had more of the fruit with a strong yeasty component (black pepper and banana mostly).. some lighter sherry-like oxidation notes around the edges (which worked well here).. finished warm, but remarkably well-balanced. Medium-bodied and almost slick on the palate with high carbonation.. really bubbled up and got tacky right at the finish. This held up very well, just sweetening up a bit and changing the texture.

Sample from a brown bottle, 750 ml, "vertical" tasting of Unibroue (from 10 to 17) at Philippe Wouters’ on April 4 2008; eye: apple juice, quite effervescent, clear; nose: stale, cork, Madeira; mouth: cork, Madeira, citrusy, honey, carbonated finale in honey and Madeira, full body, nice balance FRANÇAIS Échantillon d’une bouteille brune, 750 ml, dégustation « verticale » de Unibroue (de la 10 à la 17) chez Philippe Wouters, 4 avril 2008; oeil : jus de pomme, très effervescente, claire; nez : éventée, bouchon, madère; bouche : bouchon, madère, citronnée, miel, finale carbonatée mielleuse et madère, corsée, bel équilibre

750 ml corked and caged bottle poured a clear gold with a lasting creamy white head. Aromas of pear, apple, light spice, light carmel and a hint of yeast. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of carmel, pear, spice and light pineapple with a smooth lingering spice finish.
This beer aged very nicely!

Thanks to Aaron for this one. Gold color with an effervescent head. Sweet fruit and yeast aroma. Flavor shows some caramel and a buttery aftertaste. Thick bodied.

I found a companion for my only other sample of this just last night. Thanks to the IN BAs for providing me with the whereabouts of this one. Bottle date of 10-10-2002. Score! As much as I have looked forward to trying this, I just hope that the cork has held up. The pop was light, but it allayed all my fears. I poured this into a tulip. It has an inch, maybe more, of head. It is a very light golden yellow. The second and last pour creates two inches of foam. The nose is complex. A fruity smell from the yeast is followed by lime and orange. The taste begins with lime and orange in the front. These give way to sweeter apples and even cherries. For as light as the color is, I sure do taste some dark malt flavors in this one. The mouthfeel is thick, and coating does not seem the proper term. I would say cloying, except I am enjoying every aspect of this beer, including its cloying mouthfeel. Drinkability is good. I am slogging through the bottle in no time. Unibroue is one of the finest breweries in the world. Their special releases are meant to be aged, and this specimen gives me hope for the many of their beers that I am storing. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 08-22-2005 07:44:43

750ml bottle labeled March 3, 2003. Poured a medium golden color with a smaller sized white head. Aromas of yeast, fruity, bananas, spicy, and some citrus. Tastes of sweet fruitiness, apples, and lighter citrus. Thinner and lighter body. Alcohol hidden. The aromas weren’t bad, but the tastes may have suffered in the past 5 years.