Subsidiaries
7/10
Tried
from Can
on 04 Jul 2026
at 23:34
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
My last big bottle out of the stash, a sign of the times. I found a 750 ml bottle at the Fort Worth Trader Joe’s last year in November at a remarkably decent price. Off comes the cage and the cork and I now pour into my Delirium snifter. Extremely dark brown in color with amber at the edges and a steadily renewed cover of parchment tan foam. I smell lots of ripe dark fruit, syrup and other yeast esters. A drink now. It is fine at any level but especially at the price point, quite nice. Raisins, malt, grain, figs, ripe black plums, caramel and a hint of cherries. It has a creamy sensation similar to La Trappe’s quadrupel but they look different. I should have bought more.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Jun 2026
at 22:22
7.1/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
12oz can. Brewed by Gordon Biersch presumably. Bready deep aroma. Pretty reasonable example of the style. Full bodied, deep malt tone. Good.
Tried
on 11 Jun 2026
at 04:47
7/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
OK, so the first Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale not made by Unibroue – not happy about this, but let’s see. 750mL bottle, pours a deep dark brown with a large beige head. Aroma has a nice Belgian yeast expression, some root beer-like anise and licorice. Flavour has some nice coriander-like spiciness, anise, black liquorice, some cola… quite a different yeast expression to Unibroue. Carbonation is a bit soft for the style but pleasant enough. It’s good but no Unibroue.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Apr 2026
at 02:46
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Dark brown, with a thick head. There's some light spice on the nose, but with a slightly plummy, raisiny dark malt aroma. Off-dry, with some sweet stuff, a touch of plum. A touch of alcohol in the finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Apr 2026
at 02:39
7.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Poured from 750mL bottle (thanks Nathan). Clear copper brown with beige head. Belgian yeast, feint hint of phenols, dark fruits with hint of cola spices. Completely different from when Unibroue was brewing the vintage ales. Okay.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Apr 2026
at 02:33
7.1/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
750mL bottle. Pours dark brown with a beige head. Dark brown sugars, brown bread, and and a touch of clove-like spices on the nose. Flavour has dark brown sugar, dry bready malts, cola, cloves. Yeast is coming across differently that I expected. Carbonation is a bit low. Not bad.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Apr 2026
at 22:42
7/10
Tried
from Can
on 30 Mar 2026
at 00:54
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
750ml cork and caged bottle from a local Trader Joe's, (Laguna Hills) bought for me by my daughter and son in law, shared with Matt, my son in law on 27th March 2026 (I had the Lion's share). Poured into two old Corsendonk stemmed tulip glasses, it looked happy and eager to please. Dark brown body, wispy beige roof, slight haze in the brew. I thought it had a Gulden Draak and De Garre aroma/taste, and as it's brewed by the same guys I am not far off what's going on within this very pleasant and very drinkable Belgian Ale.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Mar 2026
at 18:45
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6.5
Texture 7
Overall 7
Slightly hazy amber wtih moderate light tan head. Caramel malt, pine, and grapefruit peel aroma. Mildy sweet caramel malt, and moderately bitter grapefruit peel flavor. Good body. Pretty good.
Tried
from Can
on 22 Mar 2026
at 00:46