Trader Joe's Vintage Ale 2009
Trader Joe's Vintage Ale 2009
Rated 3.611 by BeerPals
Brewed by Unibroue
Chambly, Quebec, Canada
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
9% Alcohol by Volume
Availability of this beer is unknown
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Trader Joe’s 2009 Vintage Ale You might be used to seeing vintages on wine; not so much on beer. And that’s what makes this ale so special. Trader Joe’s Vintage Ales were developed, crafted, brewed and bottled for us in limited quantities this year. Its flavor, color, texture and overall character are different from our Vintage Ale of 2008, and in 2010 it will be different once again. The 2009 Vintage Ale It is an opaque black color and features an impressive coffee-colored foam. In a glass, it boasts cocoa and malt aromas, with a subtle hint of lemon and ginger. A sip from that glass really brings out the best in this ale - malty and mildly sweet, with hints of cocoa, citrus and spices. Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale is ready to enjoy right away, chilled but not ice cold. Unlike many beers, though, this one will age for a few years, and its flavors will become more complex and interesting as time goes by. What’s that? You’re a beer geek? We love that. You’ll love this. And we assume you’ll want to know this is a dark ale on lees, 9% ABV (that’s Alcohol by Volume, for the non-beer geeks). Oh, and it’s brewed exclusively for Trader Joe’s, of course. Best Before 09-12-2012
ID: 37443 Last updated 2 weeks ago Added to database 14 years agoKey Stats
percentile
0
Drunk6
Reviews0
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Most noted beer attributes
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Statistics
| Overall Rank | 1814 |
| Overall Percentile | 96.7 |
| Style Rank | 138 of 1241 |
| Style Percentile | 88.9 |
| Lowest Score | 3.6 |
| Highest Score | 4.6 |
| Average Score | 3.917 |
| Weighted Score | 3.611 |
| Standard Deviation | 0.376 |
Rating Distribution
Beer vs Style
6 Member Reviews
Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7
Pours a deep brown color with a tall beige head. Aromas of grass, mal, fruity esters. Flavors of malt, brown sugar, caramel, and apricots. Decent overall, but I expected more from a Unibroue ale.
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Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9
They make some great beer in my home province of Quebec and this one is no different. Unibroue and Belgian ales somehow go to together like Hull and Mikita, Hull and Oates, and Gretzky and Kurri. A solid brown beer with brownish edges, and a light tan cap. Yeast, caramel, fruits and spices complete the aroma. All come through in the flavour without any noticeable alcohol.
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Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8
At five bucks apiece a few bottles were quickly in hand. Sampled relatively fresh then at 6-8 months and finally the last bottle at over a year in the cellar. A spicy and complex dark Belgian ale that fared better with a year on it.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7
tasted more like a BSA. not bready like a dubbel. lots of spice, cocoa, a hint of hops and malty sweetness. aroma and flavor mirror each other. nicely done. dryish finish. a little too carbonated.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7
Nice BSDA from Unibroue. This beer is a flat-out great bargain for $5 per 750ml bottle. It’s not the best Belgian around, but it’s one of the very best bargains in beer. The beer pours a very dark burgundy-brown with a big fluffy khaki head. The aroma didn’t sit quite right with me at first, but it’s improving a lot as it warms up. The signature Unibroue yeast is present with notes of soy sauce, brown sugar and holiday spices, primarily fresh ginger. The flavor is nice and dry, and the Belgian earthiness really blooms on the palate. The mouthfeel is typical of Unibroue, nice and prickly. It’s a very good beer and I’m going to pack away a few bottles for the cellar.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7
Got a huge head on the initial pour, so careful out there! Pours dark chestnut brown with a hearty but short-lived head. Malty, Spicy - with hints of chocolate and citrus and a bit too much brown sugar. I'm impressed, it's a lot better than I expected it would be.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7
Pours a deep brown color with a tall beige head. Aromas of grass, mal, fruity esters. Flavors of malt, brown sugar, caramel, and apricots. Decent overall, but I expected more from a Unibroue ale.
