Victory V12

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

Head is initially small, fizzy, off-white, fully diminishing. Body is hazy medium amber, bottle conditioned. Aroma is lightly malty (cookie), lightly hoppy (flowers), lightly yeasty (cobwebs), with light notes of peach and alcohol. Flavor is heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, watery (almost syrupy) texture, lively carbonation, lightly alcoholic. Adequately hidden alcohol. But too sweet and a bit thin/watery, and the aroma is light and unexciting. Expected more.

750 ml corked/caged bottle, March 11 2003 bottling date, purchased sometime in 2004. Little pop, and a pour of hazy bright amber, with voluminous lasting head, leaving quite thick fine-patterned lace as it finally dies....sweet Belgian candy sugar, peach and baked apples, and moderate alcohol presence in an appealing nose....on the tongue, moderate to heavy sweetness, with a maple/honey character that’s very nice, plenty of alcohol but not oppressively boozy, light yeastiness, golden raisins and a touch of funkiness....light carbonation, somewhat sticky mouthfeel, a touch syrupy, smooth and quite easy to drink belying the strength....not quite fabulous perhaps but quite delicious and it feels like just the right age.

Hints of stone fruit - peach/apricot? Fades to pear? Fairly sweet, lightly spiced. Warmed some a bit in the microwave - finally got an apple aroma. The room temperature approach: it has brandy characteristics. Still think there’s a passing bit of apricot in there. The hops are fairly subdued by the malt and sugar. Every sip seems to change the impression. Bemusing. Bewitched, Bothered and BeMildred.

From a 750ml bottle. Poured into a Trappist glass. Goregeous red and orange coloring. A medium sized white head. The aroma is oranges and fresh bread. Hints of sweat socks, but that is faint. There is also note of nutmeg spice. The taste is a very sweet orange with some almonds. Finishes with the spice of nutmeg and some bananas. Thick and sticky in it’s mouthfeel. The alcohol is noticed, but not distracting. Finishes a little sweet for me. A very solid version of a style that I love.

Woody, vinous, tart, alcoholic, aroma is fruity, yeasty and appealing. Opaque orange-brown body is topped by a generous off white head that recedes to cover. Earthy, corky, woody, vinous, boozy and leafy flavours all meld together well with plenty of residual sweetness and strong yeastiness. Medium body with moderate, soft bubbled carbonation and mild alcohol warming. Bottle sampled with GonZoBeeR, MartinT, Olivier_MTL and Rastacouere.

Bottle: Pours to a deep amber with an initial large head but fades quickly into a small lasting ring and little lace. The aroma has notes of belgian candi sugar, carmel malts, aromatic hops, and funky and dusty yeast esters. The taste starts sweet and fruity, lots of apple and pear. Light spices and some bitters on the finish. The feel is lively and some noticeable alcohol is detected. Overall, good but not outstanding. Quaffable.

2003. Poured a clear orange color with a thin off-white head. Sweet candy aroma. Malty with alcohol notes. Sweet malty flavor with light fruit. Moslty sweet finish. Light bitterness on the finish.

work of art in great malts and hops and yeast. Tasty orange and peach flavour with faint cloves and other spices. Somewhat complex on the taste buds. Good mouthfeel.