Trader Joe's Vintage Ale 2005

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Ruby-brown color with a thin tan head and small spots of lacing. Mellow aroma of port wine filled with lots of dark fruity scents and a faint mustiness. Exceptionally smooth mouth feel, I’m sure the few years spent conditioning in the bottle have helped. Sweet and dry, nice and yeasty. Wonderful rich fruity flavors. Thick red wine, plums, and raisins. A complimenting thin mulch-like earthiness adds depth. Well blended flavor, subtle and potent. Nicely aged and very enjoyable.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

I was very suprised at Trader Joes to see this beer was from Unibroue. After pouring it was easy to tell that it was certainly from them. The high carbonation and light acidic texture of the beer was classic Unibroue. Very dark nature was rare from them but expected. Very nice.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

I'd almost forgotten to review this one...its probably because its an uncharacteristically boring and dull brew from Unibroue. It isn't flawed, but it lacks the spicy phenolics and general depth of flavor we come to expect from this group. It isn't bad, its just not up to par.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

Dark browish black appearance with a large head. The aroma is raisins, chocolate, rum, and gingerbread. The flavor is rather sweet with a heavy alcohol presence. I taste figs, caramel, chocoalte and ginger. The beer has a doughy presence with a warming effect. Good stuff.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Picked this up at the Hillcrest Trader Joe's when it first came out last Fall. But the word on the steeet about this beer said that it needed some serious aging/mellowing. So after four full months in my cellar, how does it present itself?

Popped this open on a quiet Wednesday night, with a distinct cold nip in the air. Found my trusty Trois Pistoles glass for this one, and was soon in possession of a full goblet-full of this beer.

Dark-as-night, this is -- much more so that I remember, say, La Terrible being. And, as with virtually every other Unibroue that I've ever had, this has a hugely mounding and thick layer of foam. It calmed down later, and produced some decent lacing too.

A little on the nuetral side of things with the aroma. Perhaps some sun-dried raisins in the nose, perhaps some burnt maple syrup..., but really nothing at all distinctive in the aroma, IMO.

But thankfully, the flavor profile picks up the slack. The aforementioned raisins are in effect, as are perhaps some plums. Reminds me of what my grandmother's cellar, and all the fruit perserves in various stages. Nice and appealing.

I can see the La Terrible comparisons with this beer -- and to be honest, I wouldn't be hugely surprised if it turned out this was a rebranded La Terrible -- after some much-needed aging of that particular beer, that is.

But really? That's probably both untrue, and unfair to this beer. A bit simplistic in the mouthfeel and finish, but this is indeed a souly unique beer unto it's own. And, for the price ($4-and-change, if I remember correctly?), this is surely a nice beer to take for a spin around the block.

Music: Samael's "Era One"
//TB

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

This Belgian Ale pours a deep reddish brown color from a 750ml cork finished bottle. Once the frelling large beige white foamy head subsides it leave the glass with a nice even lacing. The aroma is mild, but caramel malts and fruit mix with some candi and brown sugar sweetness. A medium bodied Belgian Ale. Malts are full of dark fruit (plums, raisins and cherries) with a strong touch of caramel malts. Bright and very typical Unibroue yeast with a slightly spicy taste. Very typical Unibroue yeasts. Very lively carbonation. Very drinkable ale, hides the 9% alcohol till the very end. Nice beer. This one should have good aging potential, at least from a corkage perspective. It took me several minutes with the vice grips to get the cork off. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and dry. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

This brew poured a nice deep red, almost brown in color. A thick off white head was perched upon the top of the beer for some time and left a thick lace then thin patching. Aroma of dark fruit (plumb) and maybe fig mixed in. Slight hints of alcohol make its presents known. Taste is sticky and smooth with the fruit up front and malt back. Touch of dryness in the middle with a warming alcohol finish. Nice on the carbonation and a smooth and creamy feel to it. Overall a nice brew, one to think about putting away until next years comes out. And at $4.99 a 22 oz bottle, you cant beat the price. Don’t pass this one up if you see it.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

I'm not sure what exactly this type of ale is but I drank one and loved it. I immediately went back to Trader Joes and bought a case for $65 and feel I got a great deal. Strong, dark and not too sweet or bitter. Made by Ale on Lees in Montreal.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

As others have mentioned, at $4.99 for a 750ml bottle, this is a great value. It pours an opaque dark brown with a cocoa powder colored head. The flavor is slightly sweet & sticky with hints of dark fruit throughout. Nicely carbonated with a creamy mouthfeel.