Saturday, November 19, 2011

Trader Joe's Vintage Ale 2011

I have been waiting for this beer since I started working at Trader Joe's in August. After hearing bad things about last years vintage I was slightly skeptical but at $4.99 for a corked and caged 750 ml bottle you can't really go wrong.

Each year this is a Belgian beer contract brewed by Unibroue, the famed makers of La Fin Du Monde. Bottle conditioned and 9% ABV it is a perfect candidate for aging. I have 5 more bottles but plan on picking up a few more.


Pours a murky Belgian style brown with huge off white head.

The smell is very herby. Coriander, grass, and lemon peal.

The taste is herby on the front followed by brown sugar. Ending with prune, caramel, and herb on the back.

The style of "Belgian Dark Ale" can scare me at times because it has been hit or miss and a pretty undefined style. To me this tastes like a dark Witt if there were such a thing.

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