Vintage Ale (2006)

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

Brewed at/by: Unibroue
Belgian Style - Quadrupel / Dark Strong Rotating Out of Production

Score

7.07

ABV: 9.0%

IBU: -

Ticks: 27

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 flavor. The Champagne-like effervescence and smooth mouth feel are the result of a natural secondary fermentation in the bottle obtained by the use of a carefully selected yeast culture. This vintage ale commences with a rich head of foam, followed by a smooth dark flavor with a hint of roasted malt delicately balanced by subtle notes of noble European hops. True to its Abbey style, this year’s vintage closes with a long, complex and subtly spiced finish.

Brewed once a year in limited quantity, please enjoy Trader Joe’s 2006 Vintage Ale. This ale will age exceptionally well over time, developing more complex flavor as the years go by. Exclusively bottled for Trader Joe’s. Best Before 08-28-2009.

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7.6

Douglas88 (7984) reviewed Vintage Ale (2006) from Trader Joe's 10 years ago

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

750 ml bottle. Pours a dark mahogany color with a medium beige head. A big fruity yeasty nose. Sweet fruity notes, caramel, chocolates, big oxidation which is quite nice, strawberry. Toffee and some light chocolate in the finish. The robust fruity notes are still there 9 years on. This is very good.

Tried from Bottle on 12 May 2015 at 01:04

7.6

mcberko (47797) reviewed Vintage Ale (2006) from Trader Joe's 13 years ago

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

750mL bottle, pours a dark brown / near-black with a medium beige head. Aroma is full of spices, some dark fruits, and brown sugar. Flavour is full of spices, dark fruits, some caramel malts and some licorice notes. Lively carbonation that accentuates the complexity very well. The age has done wonders to this and there is no hint of oxidation. Great stuff.

Tried from Bottle on 26 Dec 2012 at 00:33

7.9

gunnfryd (22089) reviewed Vintage Ale (2006) from Trader Joe's 14 years ago

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

Bottle. Dark brown colour with a beige head. Aroma is sugar, alcohol, dried fruits, caramel. Flavour is sugar, caramel, dried fruits, cola, alcohol, spices, hop. Full bodied nice beer.

Tried from Bottle on 21 May 2011 at 08:08

6.8

fonefan (85107) reviewed Vintage Ale (2006) from Trader Joe's 15 years ago

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

Bottle 750ml.[ Trade by auderale ]. Clear medium to dark red brown color with a huge, frothy to creamy, good lacing, mostly to fully lasting, off-white to beige head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, spicy, clove, cinnamon, cola, soap, vintage notes. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and moderate bitter with a long duration, dark caramel, soapy, light spicy. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20110319]

Tried from Bottle on 22 Mar 2011 at 14:27

7.1

yngwie (24447) reviewed Vintage Ale (2006) from Trader Joe's 15 years ago

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

Bottle, 75cl corked, shared by Brugmansia. It’s a reddish dark brown beer with a two-finger beige head soon diminishing into a thin layer of bubbles. Spiced nose with dried fruits and a solid dose of cola, and that’s not in a bad way. A bit effervescent maybe, full-bodied and not too sugary. Quite dry actually. Flavorwise there’s the same cola and spices found in the aroma, still in a nice way, a good bitterness chimes in too. A beer I enjoyed drinking. An odd mix of cola and a dubbel maybe, but the spices and bitterness adds the needed dimension to it. Nice. 110319

Tried from Bottle on 19 Mar 2011 at 15:36

7.1

Dedollewaitor (22185) reviewed Vintage Ale (2006) from Trader Joe's 15 years ago

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

Bottle @ Denmark/Norway Tasting @ Ulfborg 2011. Courtesy of Fonefan. Pours deep dark amber with a frothy beige head. Nose is sweet and spicy. Cinnamon, clove, fruit and cola. Flavor is nutty and fruity. Also some thick caramel. A bit of cellar and mild oxidized notes.

Tried from Bottle on 19 Mar 2011 at 15:35

6.9

beastiefan2k (4725) reviewed Vintage Ale (2006) from Trader Joe's 16 years ago

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

750mL bottle from cbkschubert, thanks Craig. About 2.5 years old at this point. It pours with a bubbly head that looks akin to an infected beer pour. The color is dark brown, cannot see through it. The aroma is very weird, its is crazy herb, almost oregano-like but it seems to be coming off the yeast and the age. Watery black bread after that as well. Flavor comes off that way as well, maybe some wintergreenl. A bit of an oily mouthfeel. It can almost come off as possibly infected or just a weird age and yeast combo. As far as other aged Unibroue goes this was very different. No need to sit any longer on this.

Tried from Bottle on 05 Jul 2009 at 17:48

7.1

CloakedDagger (37568) reviewed Vintage Ale (2006) from Trader Joe's 17 years ago

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

Bottle 75 cl. Courtesy of FlacoAlto. Hazy reddish brown with an off-white head. Very spicy - gingery - aroma. Quite full-bodied with plenty of overripe fruit and again a distinct spiciness. Lightly bitter finish. 291208

Tried from Bottle on 31 Dec 2008 at 05:39

6.1

KimLundJohansen (10466) reviewed Vintage Ale (2006) from Trader Joe's 17 years ago

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Dark brown with a large beige head. Aroma was sweet with roasted malt and loads of spices. Sweet flavour with roasted malt, caramel and coriander notes. Finished sweet.

Tried on 30 Dec 2008 at 10:41

6.8

yespr (55573) reviewed Vintage Ale (2006) from Trader Joe's 17 years ago

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

75 cL bottle. Pours dark brown with a small off-white head. Mild spiced, light coriander note to a mild roasted malt aroma. Somewhat dark. Smooth roasted malty and medium sweet dark flavoured. Light yeasty touch. Lingering sweet, mild spiced and yeasty finish.

Tried from Bottle on 29 Dec 2008 at 14:33