Unibroue 17

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

Slightly sweet aroma, pours a dark reddish-brown with a huge head that keeps threatening to overflow the glass. The flavor begins with the standard Unibroue house yeast flavor, then flows over to dark fruits and a bit of spice. Alcohol is not noticeable, but it is far too carbonated. A drinkable beer, if your patient enough for the carbonation to fade.

750ml bottle, purchased first day released in US.. saved until graduation. Poured a dark brown with a hazy nucleus. Full bodied. Bold dark fruits, alcohol, and heavy spice blend... taste adds a sour note midway through the bottle. Have had 15 and 16 and this was much bolder of a beer. Not the familiar fluffy Unibroue.. much more mature.

Dark hazy amber color with a huge tan head. Strong spice aroma. Flavor of sour dark fruits, spices, candy sugar and a little yeast

(750ml bottle, courtesy of Swalden_28) Pours a cloudy deep amber body with a thick beige head. Aroma of apple, banana, clove, caramel, wheat, cereal, and some herbs. Flavor of citrus peel, nuts, raisins, black currants, light rye, and herbs.

Bottle. Dark mahogony beer with a big tan head. Banana, light fruity ester aroma. Rich dark malt, light roast, yeasty, spice, banana flavor with light bibblegum, chocolate, and berry. Richer bodied. Alcohol slightly noticeable. Caramel and darker malts linger with banan and spice. Would expect it to age wonderfully.

750, corked and baled. Pours deep and nearly opaque dark brown, but shows crystal clear with ruby highlights when you get enough light behind it. Thick, creamy, rocky tan head that takes forever to settle--the Celtics ran off 12 game 5 points against the Hawks before I got a full, drinkable pour. Smells like cola, brown bread, and that sweet molassesy yeast. Medium, creamy body with cola, nuts, brown bread, and molasses on the mid-palate. Dark, fruity, intriguing, but a little bit sharp here and there. 6-12 months of just general softening would do wonders for this, but it’s very good as is.

Big bottle finished without sharing a sip. Used a Chimay glass. Dark brown. Honey brown when held to the light. Big pillowy starting head. Chimay etch keeps a nice cloud layer going. I thought the aroma subdued. Notes of light chocolate, yeast, coffee and alcohol. Swirling it does give a bigger apple and banana note. I cannot understand where they hide the alcohol in some of these beers, barely taste it. I believe I will pick up some to age. Tasty in a restrained flavourful manner. Gentle spice, light honey-like sweetness and nice molasses and chocolate notes. Like a Belgian that you would want by the pitcher. Second half of the bottle added an intriguing sour note.

Lightly hazed brown liquid with a tint of umber when held to the light. Taller dried bone colored head. Decent lace. Sweet, fruity and yeasty nose. Scents of cloves, bananas, apples, mild citrus zest, and touch of attic dust. Reminds me of a few different scented candles being lit at the same time. Light and effervescent across the palate, nearly to much fizz in this one. A little more rigorous pour helps this one. Light caramel start with some vanilla and oak in the middle. Alcohol does show up a bit in flavors, but more so in the burn in the back of the throat. Some wheat and light acidity in the finish. Light white pepper in the linger. My second bottle, and I must admit that the first time I had it (approx. 3 weeks ago) I enjoyed it much more than I am right now. I caught more flavors the first time and the strength didn’t seem to be as evident. As it stand now, a strong belgian ale with few faults, but but not grabbing my attention. I just realized that I am trying this one at a warmer temperature than last time. perhaps the alcohol does come out more as it warms and masks some of the flavors, but that does seem to go against conventional wisdom. I still think, as I did with the first bottle this is a weizenbock by another name.