Unibroue 16

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Bottle shared by Blake. Clear amber body under a foamy white head. Sweet and spicy aroma - taffy-ish caramel with nutmeg and light pepper. Very appealing. Interesting flavor - lots of woody spiciness (cinnamon bark, pepper) over sweet fruity malts; finishes with some light spicy hop bittering. I like this Unibroue because it has a strong orange fruit and spice component. In addition the alcohol is very clean.

Cloudy, orangish-copper body with a frothy off-white head with orange highlights. The aroma is sweet with caramel, candy sugar and apple with notes of clove and yeast (earthy). The flavor is mostly sweet and moderately acidic. The finish is lightly tangy and alcoholic. Medium body with a watery texture. Moderately carbonated. OK, but not as satisfying as other Unibroue strong ales. It’s missing their complexity and fullness.

750ml bottle: Pours a fiery amber with a sky high white head that eventually settles into a sticky mound. Lots of bubbly carbonation and sticky lace is noticable. The first breath reveals alcohol and cane sugar - but after a few minutes the beer opens up with peach, strawberry bubble gum and banana esthers. The cidery/refined sugar trapped in plastic note remains. The body offers a sugary sweet malt profile, hinting at caramel and toffee mostly. The yeast fails to define itself here, letting the sugary malts create a one-dimensional experience. This lacks the depth I’ve come to love from Unibroue.

The 750ML Bottle poured a hazy (because it’s bottle conditioned) reddish-amber colored beverage with an ample thick frothy off-white head that lasted nicely throughout and left great lacing on the glass. The Belgian Strong Ale style is nicely represented with lots of sweet fruity notes of orange peel apricot and coriander. The body was full with lively carbonation and a slightly dry, smooth texture. The flavor starts out lightly sweet that is then joined by a subtle sourness. The finish is long and has a light alcohol warmth to it.

Excellent. Poured a dark brown with a great white head. Aroma was amazing caramel and tart fruit smell. Flavor was dark fruit and yeasty bread, finishing sweet roasted caramel.

Pours a hazy dark orange copper with a light bubbly off white head. Aroma is malty vanilla,spice clove, some alc. fruitiness. Flavour was sweet alc., strong malt profile, honey, molasses, some peppery spice and clove. Fruit profile increases as the brew warms with a nice alc. apricot flavour developing. Overall a very good beer, but still a standard Unibroue beer. Not a lot to suggest a special anniversary ale per say. Still a very well made brew.

Poured a cloudy golden amber with a large fizzy/creamy white head. Aroma of cinnamon, caramel, green apples and pears. Flavor is sweet with notes of pear juice, cinnamon, coriander, with just a bit of grassy hops. Alcohol is mildly present in the taste but more so in the distinct warming trail it leaves behind as it snakes its way down to the stomach. Moderately indicative of its alcohol content. Body is fizzy and refreshing. Long finish of green apple and peppery alcohol. Good, with the standard Unibroue flavor profile. I suppose I could take off points for predictability, but standard Unibroue is, in my opinion, still better than the most outrageous attempts of many other craft brewers.

From a 750mL Bottle. Pours a mostly transparent, deep golden amber color with shades of orange blossom honey and a tall pillow of sudsy off-white foam. Sweet candied oranges, pecan pie, and vanilla toffee waft from my tulip glass, backed by hints of ginger. A little bit of honeyed raisins and mace add some richness. Medium bodied, thick carbonation with a small bubbled chewy feel. Considerable residual sugars left over, presumably adding to the almost creamy texture of the carbonation. The flavors start out explosively sweet, revealing notes of honey, orange, and pear. This transitions to a phase of sizzling spice that brings out some white pepper and clove. Finishes sweet and bitter, with notes of coriander and herbal hops left clinging to the sugars. A bit thick and under attenuated, as well as overly spiced for my tastes.