Unibroue 17

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

750ml bottle, barely chilled. A foamy brown pour coalesces into half chocolate-hued liquid and half energetic, sandy cauliflower foam. Stiff 3D lace sticks to glass and lips with equal fervor. The bouquet enchants with spicy-citric-fresh hay hops, frolicsome oaky Chardonnay and yeasty wine cellar, seductive caramel and Merlot, and piquant orange soda and cotton candy scents. Sipping reveals oaky/malty and nutmeg/allspice flavors… also qualities of pistachio and reedy chamomile. A nipping alcohol sting adds elvish complexity. The palate proves a study of creamy fullness sharpened by fizzy carbonation and crabapple tartness. A smooth woody/fruity finish glides effortlessly into a buttery lychee aftertaste that smarts with overripe orchard fruit and leatherclad bondage. I would love to taste this hopped to IPA or DIPA proportions. Distantly similar, but far superior to- Unibroue’s previous caramel apple and sweaty-tasting anniversary ales. Overall, an amazingly balanced, multidimensional, and truly unique beverage… a perfect coexistence of ale and young, aggressive white wine. Wow!

Bottle. Thick head, pine and cloves in the nose. Spicy Belgian-like flavour of yeast and burnt sugar, dark fruits and alcohol.

Bottle. Pours deep ruby brown with a creamy beige head. Fruity and yeast aroma with fresh banana, apple, and candy sugar. The flavor is a bit boozy and sweet, with fruit and yeast. Good, 16 is better right now, but given another year a bet this will improve a bit.

20080919: First tasting Pours a darkbrown, almost red color (when holding it against light) with a nice head, leaving some lacing on the glass. Aroma of dried fruits, a bit yeasty and spicey, but also some unpleasant notes of leafs (almost rotten leaf). Not that pleasant and I wonder why I felt this way, since I have heard many good things about this beer. I shared it with a friend and he felt exactly the same. A bad bottle, or did just some stupid imagination? Flavour is pretty sweet, quite vinous with a caramely maltiness but most of all dried fruits. It tastes better than the smell, but got some weak notes of these rotten leafs. Palate is a bit thin with quite much carbonation. This years biggest dissapointment. I have one bottle left, so lets hope the next one tastes good. 5/4/7/3/13=3,2

20090610: Second tasting. Pours a darkbrown color with a fantastic amber head. Aroma is really nice and vinous (mulled wine/redwine) with black and red currants, black currant leafs (not rotten, what was I thinking about last time?). Some caramel and sugar also. Flavour is quite sweet and malty but somehow the vinousity makes it balanced and I really love the black currant notes. Lightly yeasty. Very nice, smooth mouthfeel. Fullbodied and filling. Gôtt!

Bottle@home Apperance: Dark brown with a beige lace. Medium head. Aroma: Caramel, Citric Notes, Spices, Fruit Flavor: Chocolate, Toffee, Vanilla, Spices, Orange Palate: Smooth with lots of carbonation and a decent bitterness balancing out the sweetness. Best one from Unibroue in a while. I really liked this one and i’m glad a got a few more bottles stashed away. Recommended!

Bouteille de 750 ml, avec bouchon de liège, achetée chez La Barik (Trois-Rivières, QC). Arôme: Odeur de mélasse et de clou de Girofle. Apparence: La couleur est brune opaque avec une moyenne densité de bulle. Présence d’un moyen col beige mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de caramel foncé avec une pointe d’épices et de pommes. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement onctueuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Présence de caramel en arrière goût. (Rating #1963)

750ml bottle. Dark brown body below a lasting, big and frothy tan head. Inviting, complex aroma of fruit (plum, cherry, apple), fresh-cut wood from the whiskey-like alcohol, yeast (mustiness) and malts (rum-soaked cake and toffee). The flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic and lightly bitter. The finish is lightly tart and lightly to moderately alcoholic. Flavors of overripe fruits and spice. Medium body, watery texture turning slightly sticky. Lively carbonation. An interesting, flavorful Belgian-style beer. The downside is that the strong alcohol presence is a little too much.

Bottle-Rhode Island. Tan head on a redish-brown, murky body. Aroma was of bread, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Smooth, drinkable palate with carmel and dark fruit. Tasty!