Vintage Ale (2016)
Trader Joe's in Monrovia, California, United States 🇺🇸
Brewed at/by: UnibroueBelgian Style - Strong Ale Regular Out of Production
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Score
7.12
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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, but 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.
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, but 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.
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7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Pours black into a tulip. Tan micro head with excellent retention recedes to coat surface leaving sheet lacing. Dark pit fruit and cocoa aromas. Dry with sweet fig and plum upfront turning to brown sugar and clove in the lasting finish.
Tried
on 26 Dec 2016
at 20:43
7.3/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Dark brown with a tall head. Spice, dark and slightly burnt brown sugar, some dark ripe fruit, some sweet caramel. Finish has lingering spice notes. A very nice ale.
Tried
on 25 Dec 2016
at 22:59
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
C&C 750mL bottle from Trader Joe’s Brookfield, 11/13/16. Dark brown, large foamy tan head, good retention. Aroma of bready malts, nuts, cherries. The taste is bready malt, caramel, nuts, yeast, cherries. Medium bodied, low carbonation, lingering spice, hints of booze.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Dec 2016
at 10:11
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
750ml bottle for $5.99 from Trader Joes. Solid brewmanship, really pleasant palate, which is probably its strongest suit. Deep and spicy, not unlike a pumpkin beer at times. Ginger fruitcake...suppose it’s more of a Wassail. Really solid, unique beer, I feel like this year’s example is spot on. Whereas most Belgian breweries are getting more gimmicky, this is pleasantly classic. Good.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Dec 2016
at 21:57
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
750 c&c from Trader Joe’s in Davis, CA. Pours brown with a creamy light tan head. Aroma of roasted malt and spice. Seems full bodied. Flavor is dark malt, peppery spice, and maybe grassy hop - hard to say - flavors are quite strong. I could believe in ginger here. Rather dry for the malt that’s here, and it’s moderately bitter, but the spice might account for some of that impact. It’s really quite nice. Tasty!
Tried
on 08 Dec 2016
at 20:08
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8.5
Bottle. Dark mahogany-brown beer with a dark tan head. Yeast and dark fruit aroma with light spice. Dark fruit and yeast flavor. Medium bodied. Dark fruit and yeast linger with light spice and light malt.
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Dec 2016
at 18:26
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7
750 mL bottle. Pours black with a light tan head. Spicy nutmeg, cardemom, clove, and yeastiness. Flavor is raisin, clove and nutmeg spices, yeasty. It’s a fine beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Nov 2016
at 23:52
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
750ml bottle, bought from Trader Joes (obviously). Split with good buddy of mine. Aroma was strong dark brown sugar notes, nutty notes, creamy sugar and spices. Flavor was rich dark fruits - plum, light raisin. Brown sugar, roasted malts. About the same as the other beers in previous years. Tasty.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Nov 2016
at 01:04
6.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Pours a dark brown with a beige colored head, lots of lacing. Aroma of candi sugar and raisins, flavor is big raisin and cola. Very sweet and effervescent. Good beer.
Tried
from Can
on 08 Nov 2016
at 20:57
6.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Trader Joe’s in Queens: pours mahogony with a loose beige head. Aroma is dark fruit, sugar and yeast and what not. Sweet and yeasty, but too too sweet. Nice body. Not too crazy, but good.
Tried
on 06 Nov 2016
at 22:35