Victory V12

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

SpringsLicker’s Fish Fry. Sample from a bottle thanks to illinismitty. Dark caramel red-orange with an off white head. Taste is raisins, caramel, brown sugar, spices. Aroma was much the same with more emphasis on the spices. and alcohol.

Deep amber, white head. Aroma is yeast, corriander, peanut shells, alcohol, light malt. Taste is bubble gum, yeast, alcohol, fruit. Bubble gum dominates.

750 ml from John’s Market Place. Nose of toffee, candi sugar, light cloves, and yeast. Clear rust with a big galss lacing beige head. Falvor is Flavor is quite spicy (cloves and corriander) with some light bitterness, toffee sweetness, and background fruitiness. Finishes with spicy light alcohol warmth. Pretty damn good for an $8.99 750ml bottle!

I thought this beer was a relatively unsophisticated effort at a Belgian Strong Ale. It lacks the subtlety of a good Belgian. Sort of what I’d expect out of a Dogfish Head Quad. Has a huge alcoholic presence. Wouldn’t serve it to my beer geek friends, but will probably buy more for myself.

Bottle from Ross that I shared at Springslicker’s fish fry. Price tag reads 5.99! Pours deep amber with a an off white head. Non-agressive aroma of fruity esters and a hint of alcohol. Flavor is fairly simple- pale belgian malts, pear, banana, and light toffee candy. There is lots of sweetness on this one. Finish is slightly yeasty with a some notes of clove. Alcohol is extremely well-hidden for 12%. The best way I can describe this is a hefe meets triple. Good.

I enjoyed this beer a lot. Nice flavor, excellent mouthfeel, great finish. Victory has a winner with this one. I can’t wait for number thirteen

Victory will be mine. I shall never claim defeat and I shall never give up, which is how I was able to finally capture the Victory 12 which sits in quiet surrender before me.

She poured a clean and clear amber with copper-orange hues glinted almost like gold in the passing light. A tiny head crowns, and then fades into nothingness. A lackluster head doesn’t mean the brew is such, and for the Victory 12, she would have just been in the way of barrage of aromas. Caramel, toffee, and sweet bready malts whisper while brandy, spice, and caramelized sugars remind me of that holiday curse, fruitcake. Personally, I think fruitcake tastes horrible, though the caramelized sugars mixed with preserved sugary, bready fruits have always been deceptively enticing. Lots of bread with pumpernickel and rye taking the lead as they guide me into her awaiting amber depths. Immediately, I am struck by how frothy her body is while sweet caramel, toffee, and spices mingle. Cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkled on top of the awaiting bready body leaves a mouth-coating impression while grassy notes of hay and straw linger in the finish. A very intriguing brew indeed, sticky and sweet with a chewy bready body soaked in warm spices, faint brandy notes, and a dry hay-field finish.

Ironically, I remember enjoying my Victory 12 when we together, but time has faded her memory more than I would like. She was simple, straightforward, and knew exactly what she wanted to say which was to her benefit. Not as grandiose as I was hoping, but far more sessionable than I was expecting. Personally, I think I need to capture another Victory 12 and reaffirm my quaffing authority.

750ml in Chimay glass. Slightly hazy reddish amber with lasting flat ring head. Caramel fruity alcohol nose with a little cardboard. Malty toasted caramel with some red fruit and (like girlybeer says) some cognac, actually reminds me a little of Utopias. Somewhat bitter slightly astringent finish. Full body. Eh. Seems pretty average for a beer like this.