Outstanding domestic example of sticke bier, which is a brawnier version of Dusseldorf altbier. 10 years of Victory, and a wonderful beer to celebrate that milstone with. Its hard to find a good example of alt, let alone sticke outside of Dusseldorf, but I’m happy to say Victory has got this one right. Ten Years Alt pours to a beautiful, bright, deep copper color, with a thick, white head that fades, and a moderate amount of carbonation. The nose is excellent with snappy and zesty herbal hop aroma, that leads into a slighty slick, nutty/sweet malty and fruity palate. This beer is very polished, round, and smooth on the tongue. Ten Years Alt finishes with more good smooth malt and fruit up front, then ends with a snappy burst of herbal/grassy hop bittereness that lingers. Stylistically, a very accurate example of sticke, and this beer joins the ranks of the few impressive, domestic examples of the style. Great beer, well worth seeking out.

I have had this beer several times now. I had it on-tap Friday night at the Victory party, On-tap Saturday night at the victory party and from the wooden barrel. I am now having it in the bottle and it is just as good. In fact I enjoyed it even more at home. I didn’t take notes previously so I do not know if it really is better in the bottle or just the fact that there are less enthusiastic distractions in my home; and the relaxed experience allows me to focus on the beer better at home. Nonetheless, those of you who had this beer at the party, do not fear that you’ll get something less in the bottle. I did worry it wouldn’t be as good, and it is great! I my opinion this beer has absolutely no faults whatsoever. It is an instant favorite of mine. Appearance: It is a dark amber color that is pretty much transparent (very enticing just by appearance). A nice whit head and decent lacing. Smell: This beer portrays a big but gentle sweet malt aroma. It smells of caramel, brown sugar, birch or cherry wood, a sprinkle of spices and a hint of brandy. Taste: The flavor is dominantly a brown sugar sweet malt. It also featured caramel, a hint of molasses, a dash of pepper and just a hint of cherry and apple. I know this beer was not aged in a wooden barrel, (I had that version at Victory’s party) but it still seemed to have a hint of that wood flavor like in a Woodford Reserve Bourbon. As a huge fan of Bourbon and Brandy all I could think of was my dream come true, a whiskey beer. That does not mean you could taste the alcohol. The 8.50% ABV was completely masked; buried so deep that you would never imagine it was more than 5% until you finish the second one and realize it :) The hop character is firmly yet discretely present. The floral hops show them self only through mild spices and grannysmith apple or lime peel presence found alongside the pepper flavor. Not overly green just enough to keep it nice and crisp. What a perfectly balanced flavor. Excellent! Mouthfeel: It is smooth and slick at the beginning and the end with a hint of peppery crispness just before the swallow. Drinkability: I can drink this till I fall over! Wow. I am flabbergasted. It is so smooth an yet crisp; sweet yet bitter, it is IMO, everything a beer should be! What else can I say. It is an absolute must have. Try it and see what you think! Hope this is helpful. Cheers!

FANTASTIC! I loved this beer because it’s so convoluted. There are just too many flavors to sequester. Perhaps this beer has the best marriage of malts and hops Ive ever experienced, both are very heavy and almost overbearing, but there is so much of each that the beer melts together in a smooth, hoppy, complex, experience.

Glass: Concave Pilsener Purchased at: Canal’s Discount Liquors, Burlington, NJ - Thanks, Mike! Price: $1.89 Size: 12 fl oz ABV: 8.5 % IBU: Estimated Calories: 175 C RateBeer Rating: 84 Aroma 8 out of 10 Intensity: Medium Balance: Sweet Impression: Nice Malt Flavor: Grain Bread Sweet Toast Hops Flavor:Earth Floral Other: Hops, bit of mold Notes: A very nice aroma, though somewhat faint for the flavor. Appearance 5 out of 5 Color: Copper Clarity: Brilliant Head Retention: Persistent Notes: A stunningly beautiful beer. It is a deep copper under an off white head that won’t quit. Very nice. Flavor 9 out of 10 Intensity: Strong Balance: Nicely balanced between Sweet and Bitter Impression: Nice Malt Flavor: Grain Bread Sweet Toast Hops Flavor: Earth Floral Herbal Other: Wheat, hops, honey Notes: A surprisingly hoppy beer, and delicious. Dark, roasty, and deep. A great beer. Palate 5 out of 5 Mouthfeel Sensation: Creamy Warming Body: Full Carbonation: Lively Finish Length: Long Intensity: Strong Balance: Bitter Notes: The finish is one of the best parts of this beer. Thanks again, Victory. General Impression: 18 out of 20 Craftmanship: Excellent Freshness: Fresh Personal Taste: Liked Notes: A great achievement in both your history and this beer. Fine job, and keep it coming.

Beautiful pour to a translucent red-clay color with a creamy tan head quickly recessing to an icy, oily web on top with a creamy tan rung at the sides. Beady vellum lacing slowly cascades down the glass as we go. Aroma is ignited with cherry toffee, maple beachwood, copper accents, spicy peppery touches, amaretto coffee creamer and honey nectar. Such a rare, unique display of aromatic affection. Flavorful force pushes full stream ahead. Hoppy sticke accents come to the forefront, dancing with a dry, clean, caramel and chocolate percussion. Dry, woodsy balsa tendencies, sticking with a piney, cedar sap vibrancy. Buttery pecans and pralines partner with expressive caramel ribbons. Clean, dry and bitter, and then an unquenching, unflinching meld of the tongue to the top of the mouth is upon us. Splices the inner mouth’s central domain in two. Quite a hoppy alt creation, but a priceless introduction and foray by an American craft brewery into the world of alts. Bitterness crests on the arc at the back of the throat in the finish, along with some cedar resin and peppered toffee cubes with a maple liquor heart. <br /><br />You can take your 10 malts - 10 hops - 10% abv anniversary ales; I’ll side with this testament to 10 masterful years of brewing at Victory any day of the week. Huge thanks to bstill and Jhop for the bottles!