Trader Joe's Vintage Ale (2005)

Vintage Ale (2005)

 

Trader Joe's in Monrovia, California, United States 🇺🇸

Brewed at/by: Unibroue
  Belgian Style - Quadrupel / Dark Strong Rotating Out of Production
Score
6.80
ABV: 9.0% IBU: - Ticks: 9
Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale is a dark Belgian style beer of great distinction produced by traditional top fermentation methods resulting in a rich and full-bodied flavour. Brewed once a year in limited quantity, please enjoy Trader Joe’s inaugural Vintage Ale.
 

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7.6
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

750mL bottle from Trader Joes, drunk fresh. Clear, deep golden with a large, white head that steadily fades to a ring. Spicy phenolics and tons of lightly acidic fruits with some clove and white pepper in there to keep it spicy. Malts layer on honey, biscuit and hints of caramel. Touch of alcohol, though not hot. Pretty standard Unibroue. In the mouth it's maltier than some of their beers, demonstrating not the champagne yeast-like attenuative dryness that some U beers end up with. Still plentiful pepper and spice with sticky caramel, hints of fig, plum and light berry. Malty texture, soft and supple with intense carbonation and good attenuation. Clean.

Tried from Bottle on 03 Apr 2022 at 18:47


7.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle (tasted at a blind tasting). Pours with a deep brown body and a small tan head that fades. Aromas of raisins, brandy, rum cake, clove, dark fruits, and a very distinctive note of the Unibroue yeast strain (which reminds me a bit of celery). Flavors of brandy, bread, dark fruits and the Unibroue yeast. Rich and vinous. Has aged very well. Lively bubbles. Holding up quite well!

Tried from Bottle on 26 Nov 2010 at 09:26


5.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Sample from a brown bottle, 750 ml, best before 10 13 2008, "vertical" tasting of Unibroue (from 10 to 17) at Philippe Wouters’ on April 4 2008; eye: burgundy, quite effervescent, no head, no lacing; nose: caramelized malt, spices, alcohol; mouth: low profile of savours, quite carbonated, Madeira, medium body, lightly sweet and bitter, alcohol; overall: so FRANÇAIS Échantillon d’une bouteille brune, 750 ml, meilleure avant 10 13 2008, dégustation « verticale » de Unibroue (de la 10 à la 17) chez Philippe Wouters, 4 avril 2008; oeil : bourgogne, très effervescente, pas de mousse, pas de dentelle; nez : malt caramélisé, épices, alcool; bouche : profil de saveurs bas, très carbonatée, madère, corps moyen, légèrement sucrée et amère, alcool; en résumé : bof!

Tried from Bottle on 22 Apr 2008 at 15:46


4.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 4

Had the pleasure of sampling this at the 1/27/2008 Pittsburgh ratebeer.com gathering upstairs, Sharp Edge Creekhouse. It will be a long time, if ever, I see a spread of bottles like I did there - ever again. I am not good enough for the beers that were that we sampled! For example, how about this beer, courtesy of NIck! A trader Joe’s 2005 retired! COOL! Barely any aroma, but what it present is mildly roasty to the nose. Looks lighter than regular iced tea. Good carbonation, surprisingly good carbonation. Mild yet not too much of the character that would put it over the top. Very good but could not stand up to a Leute Bokbier. Probably more on par with Unibroue Maudite !

Tried from Bottle on 28 Jan 2008 at 16:55


5.5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6

A hazy brown beer with a red shine underneath a very fast disappearing beige head. The aroma is sweet with powerful notes of berries, as well as lighter notes of wood and herbs. The flavor is sweet again with strong notes of berries, which gives it a slight acidity that bites lightly in the throat, combined with lighter notes of wood and herbs. It reminds me somewhat of a Flemmish Sour. I find the body thin inspite of the 9% ABV. I find it solid, but I’m not blown away by it.

Tried on 28 Jul 2006 at 15:02


7.5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

(Bottle 75 cl) Pours slightly hazy reddish brown with a rather rough, off-white head. Extremely fruity nose. Full, sweet body with tons of fruit and dried fruits and some very sweet accents of brown sugar. Rather lovely - but over-carbonated as always from Unibroue. 240706

Tried from Bottle on 25 Jul 2006 at 16:28


7.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Near black colour. Light aroma, kind of figgy, pruney, plummy. The flavour again has figgy notes and is mainly malty (dark but understated malts with the usual molasses, brown sugar type stuff, but quite mellow). Hint of alcohol late and a hint of the Unibroue yeast.

Tried on 09 Mar 2006 at 00:22


8.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Bottled. Dark brown, clear. Sparkling berryish aroma. Medium sweet and medium bodied with lively, soft mouthfeel and notes of lingonberry. A light yeast character. Feels fresh and intriguingly flavourful. Unibroue-quality...

Tried from Bottle on 23 Feb 2006 at 13:37


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle. Dark beer with a big beige head. Fruity (plum/date) aroma with sweet malt. Sweet malt flavor with caramel, fruit, and a nice yeasiy spiciness. Dry finish. Could use just a bit more depth.

Tried from Bottle on 19 Dec 2005 at 12:45