Victory V12

Brewed by Victory Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Downingtown, Pennsylvania USA

Wow, this was MUCH better than I expected. Pours lightly murky amber/ orange with a fizzy tan head. The aroma has rich Belgium earthiness, thick caramel malt, anise and nectar fruits - very full and rich. Medium body with a good amount of prickly carbonation. The taste begins very full, rich and lush with nectar fruits, pear, earthy Belgium yeast, candi sugar, alcohol and light anise. The finish has even more of an alcohol bite with some sharpness. The body gets thicker as it warms. Through the warming it also gets fruitier with more alcohol warmth. Very well done. It would have been nice if the alcohol was a bit more hidden, but at 12% that is forgivable and it is very drinkable and enjoyable. Big thumbs up to Victory for this one.

750 mL bottle. Pours hazy amber with an average fizzy light brown head that diminishes to a patchy film in relative short order, spare lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (toasted straw, meal, bread), light hops (flowers), moderate yeast (dough, earth) with notes of alcohol and pear. Long duration, moderate sweetness and acidity, heavy bitteness; creamy warm nutty malt, yeast flavor with candied fruit notes. Full bodied, alcoholic texture, average carbonation and an astringent finish.

Red and hazy, with a small head. Aroma is molasses and a bit of hops (not much of the alcohol there). Oily mouth feel and just too much alcohol in the taste. The alcohol simply pervades all of this beer. None of the 6 beer connoisseurs at the tasting like this and, of the 20 beers, it was the only bottle we didn’t finish.

750 ml bottle poured a clear amber with a creamy lasting amber head. Aromas of banana, carmel, molasses, pepper and spice. Palate was medium bodied. Flavors of carmel, spice, pepper, brown sugar, apple and a hint of banana with a warm lingering sweet finish.

Bottle shared with the gang at Decemberfest 2006 -- courtesy of Jon. Pours a cloudy copper-orange with a large lasting off-white head. Very nice aroma of sweet malt, spices, yeast and hops. Flavour is sweet, malty and spicy. Alcohol is fairly well hidden. Medium bodied. Very good.

Can shared with a bunch of folks at DougShoemaker’s Decemberfest 2006 - courtesy of Jon. Reddish-orange with a large off-white head. Aroma is big yet subtle, with a delicate balance of sweet malt, mellow spices, and a tart yeastiness. Flavour follows the aroma, with the sugary sweetness well balanced by the spice and herb characteristics, and a very nice tart/dry finish. Hides that 12% damn well. A very nice beer, and a great way to finish my session at Doug’s for another year.

Bottle (750ml). at Decemberfest 2006. Very bubbly amber with a large, lasting fluffy off-white head. Soft aroma, waves of spices over a bed of rich sweet malt, a hint of lactic sourness, and yeast. The taste is redolent with spices, has a thick sweet malt backbone, and moderating soft herbal hops in the finish. Solid, thick, almost syrupy body, very lively, balanced and pleasing - the finish is a little quick. Excellent - thanks for the share! - I’ll enjoy my bottle for sure.

750ml Bottle @ Decemberfest 2006: Pumpkin in colour, decent finger width of head, good retention. Aroma of peppery spices and acidic fruits. Anise in the flavour alongside pepper and plums, but quite a heavy amount of alcohol that seemed somewhat distracting.