Vintage Ale (2015)
Trader Joe's in Monrovia, California, United States 🇺🇸
Brewed at/by: UnibroueBelgian Style - Quadrupel / Dark Strong Rotating Out of Production
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Score
7.20
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Unique and limited edition, this Belgian style ale is crafted once a year as a special treat for those of you who appreciate flavorful, bottle conditioned ales with character.
Our Vintage Ale is a rich , dark and full-bodied ale with a fine and generous coffee-colored beige foam. It’s ready to enjoy right away and you may also wish to cellar a few bottles. It will evolve interestingly well, developing more complex flavors as the years go by. Keep the bottle upright in storage.
Brewed with a delicate balance of noble hops, roasted malts and spices, this is a remarkably smooth ale with a wonderfully complex finish. It is best served slightly chilled, around 53 degrees Fahrenheit and pairs exceptionally well with grilled salmon steaks, curried lamb, beef, or tuna au poivre. Crafted and bottled exclusively for Trader Joe’s.
Our Vintage Ale is a rich , dark and full-bodied ale with a fine and generous coffee-colored beige foam. It’s ready to enjoy right away and you may also wish to cellar a few bottles. It will evolve interestingly well, developing more complex flavors as the years go by. Keep the bottle upright in storage.
Brewed with a delicate balance of noble hops, roasted malts and spices, this is a remarkably smooth ale with a wonderfully complex finish. It is best served slightly chilled, around 53 degrees Fahrenheit and pairs exceptionally well with grilled salmon steaks, curried lamb, beef, or tuna au poivre. Crafted and bottled exclusively for Trader Joe’s.
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7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 4
Overall 8
Dark brown. Characteristic Unibroue yeast. Lacing head. Arima has some complexity with anise, some chocolate, malt, dried fruit. Malt flavor, lightly sweet, not a lot going on there, and this seems a little light on the palate. Still, flavor and aroma are good.
Tried
on 24 Dec 2015
at 22:52
7.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8.5
750 ml. bottle from...where else? It pours a very dark brown, almost black color with a very tall and frothy khaki head. Good staying power with some lacing. The aroma is interesting with notes of anise, clove, black licorice, black cherry and fig. Smells balanced and pleasant. The flavor is pretty much the same. Good pepper and clove yeast notes supported by cherry and fig with some date and plum in there as well. Hints of licorice and anise with the clove/pepper spice in the finish. It seems well attenuated with a full, but drinkable body. High carbonation. A really nice dark Belgian strong ale.
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Dec 2015
at 20:32
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Purchased at Trader Joe’s in Vegas. Pours a dark brown colour with copper highlights. The head is creamy, beige coloured with some creamy lacing. Aromas of Belgian Ale yeast with mild spices and dark fruits, all well-blended. Taste of dark fruits, the yeast and apples round out the whole. Pretty easy drinking for Unibroue and quite a smooth darker strong Belgian ale.
Tried
on 09 Dec 2015
at 18:12
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
C&C 750 mL bottle from Trader Joe’s Charlottesville. Dark brown with a large foamy tan head. Good retention. Aroma of dark fruits, plum, yeast, spice, bread, hints of rye and toffee. The taste is spice, yeast, bread, plum, berries. Medium bodied, lingering spice, well balanced. Nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Nov 2015
at 22:13
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle at the November 2015 DC Gathering, another bottle later. Poured a light dark brown color, hazy notes to it, with a medium sized off-white, almost light tan head. Aroma was dark fruits, brown sugar notes, light sweetness. Flavor was dried dark fruits, brown sugar, with decent spice notes. Alcohol was pretty well subdued, as usual.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Nov 2015
at 13:40
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Pours deep mahogany into a snifter. Tan head with medium retention recedes to hug rim. Pit fruit and chocolate aromas. Dry with molasses, Clive and pit fruit upfront turning to dry cocoa in the lasting finish.
Tried
on 19 Nov 2015
at 19:28