Unibroue Trois Pistoles (2014) Belgian Strong Dark Ale at 9% ABV (C$8.99 at South Trail Calgary Co-Op, 750 ml, bottle date 29-Nov-2014, acquired 26-Apr-2015, reviewed 14-Jul-2016)
Appearance: clear amber-brown with two fingers of light tan head, good retention, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark vinous fruit, figs, brown sugar, some Belgian yeast. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (9/10) Medium-full body, lively carbonation, off dry and mildly warming finish. (4/5)
Well, damn. I just re-read my old notes, and realized I meant to keep this down in the cellar for longer: the last vintage of this I reviewed (a 2012) was just over two years old when I reviewed it, and this was a touch younger than that. Guess I need to go hunting for a dusty one on a shelf somewhere, or try again in about 3 years… or more… No significant variations that I can discern by comparison to my notes, unless perhaps a slightly lighter body and slightly higher carbonation in this version. I wonder of that might be attributable to the larger corked and caged bottle holding pressure a bit better than the small capped bottle I previously tried? Regardless, any way you slice it, this remains a world-class BSDA. (17/20)
8.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
