Review: Unibroue - Trois Pistoles

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 9.00%

Trois Pistoles is an old favorite that I haven't gotten to enjoy for a while now. It continues to be a readily available classic of the style. Pours deep raisin brown, slight tinge of purple, nice frothy head, laces well around the glass. Smells figgy, dark fruit, plums, sweet with a slight port-like booziness in the nose. Tastes a lot of the same - on the sweeter side instead of the yeastier side, like some Belgian Darks. Lots of dark fruit flavors run through it, a bit of licorice, sweet dark sugar, an underlying booziness that does nothing to detract from the drinkability, but helps bring the flavors together. Slightly cloying, but nice and velvety on the tongue. After the initial shock on the palate, the flavor mellows nicely, smooth and subtle. This is just a classic that a lot of people take for granted.

A: 4/5
S: 12.5/15
T: 42/50
M: 13.5/15
D: 13/15

Total: 85%

Review: Victory - Hop Whallop

Style: American Imperial / Double IPA
ABV: 8.50%

This my last halfassed review for the night, I promise. All caught up after this one.

Pours a lot lighter than I was expecting. Like a typical macro light lager, except less fizzy and a little more syrupy. Smells of muted hops, not the flourishing bouquet I would expect. Date is Feb 9 '10, which I assume is 1yr out, so this is at about 6-7 months since bottling, not ideal, but I don't think it's bad or anything. Tastes again, muted hops, it's like they are struggling to come out, but can't quite make it. There's a good deal of malt, but not overpowering by any stretch. Slight pineyness and that's it. Like a regular IPA, not a DIPA. Moderately filling, carbonation just at the appropriate level, i guess it's not bad, but I had expected a lot more from it.

A: 3/5
S: 10/15
T: 34/50
M: 11/15
D: 12/15

Total: 70%

Review: Harpoon - Glacier Harvesr 09 (100 Barrel #28)

Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.70%

The newest offering in the 100 Barrel Series, a release of the Glacier Harvest they did last year. Seems awfully soon to me, I'd love to see some of the older 100 Barrel beers rereleased... Triticus, Barleywine, Imperial Stout, Lambic... at least not something a year old. Oh well.

Nice frothy head, that light-cidery-brown in color. Smells of piney and grapefruity hops, a bit soapy. Tastes more of hops, less of a malt presence. Not a ton of bitterness with the hops, though, nice and just slightly bitter. A bit thin through the mouth, which works against it a bit, it doesn't have the carbonation to carry it through. Easy enough to drink, but just OK overall. Probably won't seek this one out again.

A: 3/5
S: 11/15
T: 38/50
M: 10/15
D: 12/15

Total: 74%

Review: Harpoon - UFO Pale Ale

This one just came in, I gots a free sample to take home. So new, I can't find any of the info for it. Pours standard yellowish-brown and fizzy, decent hop aroma coming off of it. Nothing spectacular though. It seems to have more heft to it than the other UFOs I've tried, some interesting slightly sweeter-than-normal malting. Decent if unmemorable hop flavor, not really biting, a bit grapefruity. Kind of just slides off the palate, without being real creamy, or cloying, or anything. Decently drinkable. Kind of eh in pretty much every way, which exceeded expectation.

A: 3/5
S: 11/15
T: 35/50
M: 10/15
D: 11/15

T: 71%

review: Boulevard - Long Strange Tripel

Style: Tripel
ABV: 9.00%

I've been looking forward to trying something from Boulevard for a long time, and awesome trader BuckeyeNation hooked me up bigtime with a few different bottles. At first I wonder which way this tripel will go, an authentic Belgian way, or the messy American way with a little bit of everything thrown in.

Pours toasty-golden, big poofy head, nice and fluffy, awesome lacing left. Just like a tripel should look like. Smells slightly musty, with some sweetness coming through over it. Little bit of spicing evident. Upon first sip, I know we have a winner. It's slightly sweet, but balanced by a good bit of dryness. Nothing like Golden Monkey (although I do love me some Monkey) and a sweet barrage of everything but the kitchen sink right off the bat. Little bit of spicing, but nothing overpowering. Kind of bready, reminds me of cookies, almost. I'm doing a really bad job doing it justice, save that is very very good. Very ephervescent in mouthfeel, silky smooth texture, can't stop drinking it. Just awesome.

A: 4/5
S: 12.5/15
T: 43/50
M: 12/15
D: 14/15

Total: 85.5%

Review: North Coast - Old Stock Ale

Style: Old Stock Ale
ABV: 12.50%

Oddly enough, this is one of a few North Coast beers we don't get in MA (Cru D'or and the Rasputin anniversary series being the others). I don't get it, but such is life. I'm sampling a 2007 vintage so graciously provided by my Minnesota BA buddy, BDLbrewster.

This to me is the definition of a sessionable old ale. My only other experience previous to such a thing was with Founder's Curmudgeon, and I hated it. Far too smokey for me. This one pours almost jet black, not much signs of carbonation or life. This is actually a good thing, however, as too much carbonation would subdue all that's going on. It really doesn't smell as strongly as I would have figured, either. Bit of vinuous acidic fruit lying underneath layers and layers of peaty malt - not too smokey, but tobaccoey, a bit leathery. A good dose of that slightly acrid chewy-spicy taste, also. This is another one that lingers pleasantly on the palate, tasting for an hour or more after like smokey licorice. Very pleasant, and not overwhelming. A great go-to old ale that belies it's very high ABV with superb drinkability. North Coast is just awesome.

A: 3/5
S: 11/15
T: 44/50
M: 13/15
D: 13/15

Total: 84%

Review: Stone - Vertical Epic 09.09.09

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 8.90%

Ever since I heard about this one a few months back, I was intrigued. Heavy on chocolate malts, with vanilla and tangerine peel added. Sounds like an awesome orange and chocolate combination. The final product doesn't quite live up to my lofty expectations, but it is still very good nevertheless.

Very dark, pruney-brown, massive head that emerges makes for a slow pour. Smells almost like coffee, which is strange - almost harsh, but in a pleasing way. Not sure if it's the heavy chocolate malts doing it, interacting with it in a strange way. Taste is very similar - almost harsh, but not quite, in a pleasant way. Heavier hopped than a typical Belgian Dark, which for Stone is far less than normal :) It's far more dense than a typical Belgian Dark, though, doesn't have the ephervescent smoothness or velvety texture in the mouth. For my own sanity, I'm calling this a Belgian Stout, even though it isn't really. But the slightly astringent malt makes me think of that - roasty and chocolatey, with Belgian candied sugars. The orange doesn't come through really, which is a shame, I'd like for it to be balancing a lot better with the chocolate. The vanilla adds a light, lofty sweetness to the endgame. It's very drinkable for what it is, and that is to its credit. It's just not quite at the balance I'd like to see. I'll be buying more of this to drink and squirrel away for sure, and we'll see how it evolves.

A: 3.5/5
S: 11/15
T: 41/50
M: 11.5/15
D: 12/15

Total: 78%