Victory V12

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

Unfiltered amber color. Floral, fruity and candied aromas. Pear and apple flavors with a bit of a moldy damp citrus finish. Alcohol is subtle. The high gravity makes this beer more attractive than the beer itself. The golden monkey, from victory as well, is a superior beer to this offshoot. Aging may do wonders.

750 ml corked and caged. Very pale golden beer. Aroma is very spicy with a Unibroue-like spiciness. Sweet and spicy with a hint of sweatiness, some peach, sweet coriander and light cinnamon. A touch of bready yeast, but the malts themselves are quite lean. Wheaty spiciness and some sweet peppery character. Flavour is quite spicy. Some lingering lemon citrus and a soft palate. Nice saison.

Aged one year. Aroma of fruit, spice, hops, and bread. Copper pour with large off-white head. Flavors of spice, dark fruit, yeast, bread, and alcohol. A little to much heat on this one.

Pours a dark copper/light brown color. Big yeast and bread flavors. You don’t notice the 12% until you are done and wobbling. Well balanced, slight hop bitterness in the finsh. Really nice.

750 ml bottle, caged and corked - dated 8/10/06. Pours a golden copper with a big dense fluffy white head that retains well and laces the glass. Bottle conditioned with lots of yeasties at the bottom of the bottle.

The aroma is musty yeast, bready dough, pears, and some cola-like spices.

The flavor is sweet sugary malts, followed by some peppery yeasty spices, a little pear and apple and a bit of alcohol with a bitter almost tar-like finish. Normally I don’t care for the sweetness and alcohol, but this is well done and balanced well. The mouthfeel is medium to full and creamy with ample but not harsh carbonation. It’s a little on the syrupy side.

Overall, a well done Belgian ale.

(Bottle 75 cl) Courtesy of xproudfoot. Slightly hazy amber golden with an off-white head. Aroma of fruit and alcohol. Very full-bodied with notes of caramel, yeast and fruit. Very alcoholic finish - way too much. Almost a bit Tripel-like. 201006

Bottling date is August 27, 2004 and it has been cellared since then. Absolutely zero head, but a nice dark amber color. Aroma was wonderful: heavy malt, bread, moderate yeast, dark cherry, clove. What a great feel on the palate. More carbonation feel than I had expected based on zero head. 12% alcohol - sure couldn’t tell. This was very, very easy drinking. Not a dark tasting as Chimay, but really incredibly good. I think I ’ll let my other bottles age a bit longer and see what happens.

copper pour glowing body viz carb, nice small bubbled off white head small lacing. Sweet sugars alcohol is present some grain. Palate is full well coated and creamy. Flavor is well malted an odd yeast some candied sugars grain & alcohol. Decent brew.