Trader Joe's Vintage Ale 2006

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

a dry, spicy belgian dubbel...the body is just ok, and the carbonation a little high, but the flavor and finish is pretty nice. overall, an enjoyable brew. for the price...idunno.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 4

Smelled and looked great, then I tasted it. I thought I had oped a soda can or something. The Carbonation was way too much and it taste burnt and awlfull..

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

A black appearance with a bubbly white head. Some licorice, chocolate, and mint in the aroma. The flavor really shows the alcohol coming through. This beer bends itself rather sweet with chocolate, raisins, licorice, and mint. Overall a nice but quite different beer.

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

Pours with a frothy, brownish tinged, tan colored head that is fairly large bubbled that shrinks but never dissipates from the top of the beer. The beer is a dark, opaque, blackish color with burnt amber notes near the edges. Still amply spicy with aromas reminiscent of cardamom, allspice, clove, woody cinnamon. Dark malt aromatics contribute notes of blackened raisins, sweet figs, toasted grain and browned biscuits. This beer's aroma is definitely spice dominated, but it seems to achieve a little more balance as my nose becomes numb to the dominant aromatics.

Sweet and spicy tasting. Flavors of cardamom are pretty pronounced, producing a signature cola like note. The finish has an almost hotness / prickle to it that is entirely spice derived; flavors of cardamom, ginger and white pepper seem to make up this as does the effect of an ample carbonation. Hints of chocolate & dusty cocoa also become noticeable in the finish as does an astringent, woody, almost tannic edge. After I get past the in your face spice notes I start to notice a significant fruit contribution too; prunes, figs, raisins and I will throw out that I get some molasses flavors too even though it is not a fruit. The body is a little on the light side as it could probable use a bit more fullness and malt to carry the spice character.

Despite the over the top spiciness, and especially if you give your palate a chance to shift, this is a pretty nice beer. If the supporting malt character can remain un-oxidized and complex enough, this beer should be able to age for quite a few more years.

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

This Abbey Dubbel pours a deep brown color from a 750ml bottle. Medium sized beige foamy head. Aroma is caramel and toffee, dried fruit, some spice and some chocolate. Medium bodied dubbel. Malts are fruity and sweet. Lots of spices, coriander, cloves, touch of ginger and anise(?). Lots of brown sugar and molasses. Nice balance between the sweetness and the spices. Smooth tasting. Hides the 9% alcohol well. Very typical Unibroue yeasts. Nice beer, especially for $5 a 750ml. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

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

Pours with a dark brown to black body topped by a thick, off-white, foamy head with some lacing. It’s slightly sweet and spicy (coriander, a little allspice) with nice underlying maltiness and a little dark fruit. Full bodied, slightly dry and smooth.

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

Bottle courtesy of Shp555: Poured a dark brown color ale with a huge off-white foamy head with perfect retention and great lacing. Aroma of spice with huge Belgian malt and typical Unibroue yeast. Taste is dominating by strong spice, Unibroue yeast and big Belgian malt. Body is above average with some great carbonation and no alcohol was discernable. I thought this beer was really complex and well done and probably something I would buy more often if I had access to it.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 5

Pours so dark brown it's almost opaque black; the big loud head diminishes quickly. Smells spicy: brown sugar, cinnamon, clove. Wait-- it smells just like the spices on a Heavenly Ham. Pungent. Kinda nice. And it tastes dark and spicy, indubitably winter fare. Decent body, drinkable, smooth and warming. Oh no-- It tastes too much like Heavenly Ham spices, minus the salt in the ham itself. Gets obnoxious after a while. This is Unibroue's Maudite on steroids... or crack. Best in very small doses, otherwise it's too much.

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

This seems closer to a Christmas brew than a classic Abbey Dubbel to me. I liked it and will try it again. I opened this just minutes after driving home and was impressed by the well balanced perception of spice on the nose and on the tongue.

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

Better than the bland 2005 version, however a blend between the two would likely be better than either. Kinda harsh on the spicy phenolics, and with higher carbonation. Brown and bubbly, clear-ish, just a bit of haze. Not bad, but I have such high expectation from Unibroue...