Trader Joe's 2007 Vintage Ale
Trader Joe's Brewing Company

Trader Joe's 2007 Vintage AleTrader Joe's 2007 Vintage Ale
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From:
Trader Joe's Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
9%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.87 | pDev: 9.04%
Reviews:
65
Ratings:
75
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 25, 2016
Added:
Dec 22, 2007
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  5
No description / notes.
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Ratings by daliandragon:
Photo of daliandragon
Reviewed by daliandragon from Maryland

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Although I think fairly highly of Trader Joe's, I'm still impressed they got Unibroue to brew this for them. The color is a deep, multicolored brown with orange striping. Head is strong at first but soon diminishes to a cap. Nose is lightly spiced and sweet with dark malt and some faint fruits.

Nicely balanced with plenty malt and fruit and a minimum of spice. A clean finish and understated alcohol presence are positive attributes. The mouthfeel is a little thin for a dubbel but the carbonation compensates somewhat.

This is a solid, if unspectacular Belgian and definitely the best of the TJ line. However, when you throw affordability next to quality, this is suddenly a much more attractive option.
Jan 04, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by RBorsato from Virginia

Jan 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by mdaschaf from Indiana

Sep 05, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Jho3325 from Indiana

Dec 17, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by Lovely85 from Florida

Sep 09, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by PhotoMattT from New Jersey

Jul 11, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Stef422 from Illinois

May 26, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by nzerbe from New York

Mar 04, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by beerpadawan from California

Aug 27, 2012
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
nice amber color with a light hint of caramel around the edges, big head comes up and over the top and settles down gently into a firm and long lasting pillow with loads of side glass lacing. Aroma is nice, much sweeter then I was expecting. Lots of caramel and malts right up front here, light hint of an herbal note boucning around as well, but not terribly strong. Warming brings out a yeast note that is quite intresting and adds a light fruit touch to it, but very sweet still. Flavor again is very intresting and not what I was expecting. Rich notes of caramel and almost candied like sugar abound here. Light touches of hops play on the tongue now as well, very intresting. Comes across almost like an amber ale to me, has that bready maltiness and caramel flavor I associate with it. A bit thin on the feel but the carbonation really saves it
Dec 03, 2011
Photo of dbennett04
Reviewed by dbennett04 from Illinois

4.44/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
After cellaring for four years, it was time to pop the cork on this one. Bottle had a "Best By" date of October 2010.

Appearance - Poured a nice caramel color, with a slight head that didn't linger for too long. No sediment in first glass, but by the end sediment was present despite careful pouring. Still, sediment settled quickly even after pouring.

Smell - Heavenly. I could tell right away that cellaring this one wasn't a mistake. Detected notes of dried fruits (esp. figs), cinnamon, licorice, and cloves. Wonderful to take in. I almost forgot to drink it.

Taste - Not as good as the smell, but still pretty nice. The fruits came through here more than the licorice of cloves, and a floral character was present in the taste that wasn't clearly in the smell.

Mouthfeel - About right for a Belgian ale. The effervescence wasn't overwhelming and it wasn't too thin. Nice lingering finish.

Overall, I really liked this beer. I was a little leery about having cellared it for so long, especially after moving around a bit with it. But it matured nicely. Perfect for sitting in a warm, quiet living room after a long day.
Nov 29, 2011
 
Rated: 3.5 by brandoman63 from Illinois

Nov 22, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by oline73 from Maryland

Nov 16, 2011
Photo of KiltedCulinarian
Reviewed by KiltedCulinarian from Georgia

3.3/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Poured in a goblet. Light amber, translucent in colour. Lots of sediment. Very sweet, but no lasting mouthfeel and very little body. Not as rich as I've come to expect from the vintage ales. Tasty, but not terribly complex, just straight simple. Did not develop any as it warmed.
May 23, 2011
Photo of kenito799
Reviewed by kenito799 from New York

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bomber poured at Belgique tasting, Huge, MN Thanksgiving 2010.

This is made, I hear, by Unibroue, and therefore may be similar to one of their dubbels.

Looks like tea or cola, foam recedes. Sweet and soft, caramel, the sweeter dessert beer version of a dubbel. An oily heft on the palate. Nutty.
Apr 19, 2011
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

3.11/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
A: The pour is a dark caramel color with a short lived off-white head.

S: This one also smells super vinous with lots of sweet, white grapes. There's quite a bit of booze, too. Lots of cardboard and a high carbonation that sort of stings the nose. Perhaps a touch of herbs.

T: The flavor is reminiscent of a sparkling wine. A sort of buttery chardonnay flavor to go with the cardboard and mild herbal character. A really high carbonation to it that gives it a somewhat acidic feel.

M: The body is medium with a very high level of carbonation.

D: Not quite as good as the 2005, but certainly better than the 2006. Still don't think I'd really be interested in having this one again.
Dec 19, 2010
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

3.7/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle drank in August 2010: Poured a dark brown color ale with a medium foamy head with average retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of dry plums and figs with a sweet malt base and the usual rich bready yeast profile from Unibroue. Taste is sweeter then I was expecting with some notes of dry raisins and plums, sweet malt backbone and loads of ester of the yeast. Body was full with good carbonation and light warming notes of alcohol. Good thought not as good as the previous example or maybe the aging has not done any good to this one.
Aug 30, 2010
Photo of Briken
Reviewed by Briken from Washington

4.29/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Aged nearly 3 years in a closet of varying temperatures.

Clear mahogany with a thin off-white head with only a ring of retention and little lacing. Aromas of dark fruit and great spice. Dark cherry and raspberry flavors persist with a strong spicy characteristic with hints of chocolate and a lightly floral lingering. A light syrupy feel with moderately high carbonation despite the champagne like quality insisted on in the bottle description.

This was my first attempt at aging a beer for a significant amount of time and I was afraid it would not work considering I recently put a thermometer in there and found the temperature got significantly higher in the summer (duh!). However, 3 months before its "expiration" it was quite a good beer that unfortunately I had originally before I started reviewing beer. I look forward to my other experiments now, especially the ones I've reviewed relatively fresh! I wish I could have another but I'll have to settle for subsequent years which are very different year to year!
Jul 11, 2010
Photo of BenZ
Reviewed by BenZ from Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Had this in the cellar since '07. A very good balance of fruit and the harsher phenolic tastes unibroue often has. Great drinkability - nice crisp carbonation, not too sweet. This was a good beer, nothing super memorable, maybe it is past it's prime, but I'm not sure since I didn't have it fresh.
Jun 28, 2010
Photo of tmoneyba
Reviewed by tmoneyba from Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured hazy dark brown color with a large light brown creamy head that mostly lasted and produced good lacing. Good malty, fruit and spice aroma. Medium body with a sticky texture. Full complex fruit and sweet malty flavor with a long fizzy finish with a small alcohol tone. Good brew at a fair price. I got three bottles to age for the next three years.
May 09, 2010
Trader Joe's 2007 Vintage Ale from Trader Joe's Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 75 ratings