Trader Joe's 2019 Vintage Spiced Ale
Trader Joe's Brewing Company

From the older bottle, it pours a clear brown color with a beige head that lasts and leaves lacing. The nose is dark fruit and spices. The taste follows the nose and tells me that I should buy a bottle this year as well - dark fruit in a smooth feeling base. It ages well!

poured from a 1pt. 9.4 fl. oz. caged and corked brown bottle - best before 9/12/2022

Trader Joe's 2019 Vintage Ale filled my tulip glass with a big generous beige colored head. The head sits on top of a coffee-colored dark body. The aroma of dark fruit, [raisons, plums] and roasted malt dominate with a light spiciness in the background. The taste matches the aroma with a stronger spiciness of clover and cinnamon than noted in the nose. Mouthfeel is rich, high-medium to full bodied. The Ale has active carbonation with a smooth and dry finish.

Overall, the 2019 Vintage Ale continues to be flavorful, drinkable, and a good value like all previous Vintage Ales.

Pours pitch black we with a ton of head. Really a solid belgian dark ale. Easy drinker for 9% alcohol. Spices are nice but I would prefer if there were more. Some more bite would be nice. All that being said it's a really solid bomber at a good price. Thanks trader joe's. Will be trying future releases.

From the corked, caged 650 ml bottle with a Best By date of 09/12/22. Sampled Sept 13, 2020.

Dark pour with ruby red hues underneath a modest tan head. Eye-pleasing.

Forward aroma of dark fruit, red grape, clove, coriander, and cinnamon.

Medium to full mouthfeel. Burning

It is a sweet and fruity taste but the spices really jump out in front quickly. One of my favorite annual offerings at a good price.

A - Pours out dark, slight red highlights in an opaque brown-black body. Tan head fades quickly after the pour, with minimal lacing.

S - Dark fruit notes, raisins and prunes signaling strong sweetness, with a bit of clay and earthiness.

T - The open follows the nose, with dried fruit, tobacco, and a pungent sweetness, a moderate bread hit of malt, and a slightly acidic tang over a bit of limestone as the sweet notes fade in the finish.

M - Moderate carbonation, fairly light weight, a bit of alcohol warmth, and a scrubbing close. Surprisingly clean for how big it is.

O - The classic TJ Vintage Ale delivers again, with a superb balance of sweetness and earthiness. The drinkability can get you into trouble, because this is a big one, but I do enjoy cracking one of these on a weekend night, when I have nothing more to get done for the day.

750mL corked and caged bottle, best before -7-26-22. Shared with the Mrs., served in a Tripel Karmeliet tulip glass.

Appearance: Practically black letting no light through. Massively thick tan head with some islands and strands of persistent lacing.

Smell: Yeasty, bready, dark fruits, herbal.

Taste: Quite spicy, but in a good way. Candi sugar, malt, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, some herbal bitterness at the end and every now and then a hint of mint.

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation, slick, dry finish.

Overall / Drinkability: A very good beer and similar to previous year styles, but a bit spicier this time around. Went well with potatoes au gratin and pulled pork sandwiches.

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a very dark mahogany brown that is nearly opaque in the glass and a fine two finger khaki head with great retention and thick lacing. Aroma of light bready malt, spicy Belgian yeast, clove, dark stone fruit and a hint of cinnamon. Flavor is caramel malt, plums, brown bread, Belgian yeast, and clove. Medium bodied with peppery, active carbonation. As always, a very pleasant strong Belgian ale with classic fruit and yeast flavors. Similar to, but somewhat simpler than Unibroue's flagship Belgians. Seems very much like the ones from the last few year, which is great. Trader Joe's hit a homer getting Unibroue to produce this every year and it's an incredible bargain.

750 ml bottle into signature tulip glass, best before 9/11/2022. Pours lightly hazy very dark reddish brown color with a 2-3 finger dense and rocky khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a large cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big raisin, plum, fig, pear, apricot, red apple, peppercorn, coriander, cardamom, clove, anise, cola, brown sugar, roasted nuts, and toasted brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of chocolate, cocoa, licorice, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, spices, and dark/bready malt notes; with big strength. Taste of big raisin, plum, fig, pear, apricot, red apple, peppercorn, coriander, cardamom, clove, anise, cola, brown sugar, roasted nuts, and toasted brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of chocolate, cocoa, licorice, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal, floral, grassy, roasted bitterness; and yeast spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of dark fruit, pear, apricot, red apple, peppercorn, coriander, cardamom, clove, anise, cola, brown sugar, roasted nuts, and toasted brown bread/crust, chocolate, cocoa, licorice, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, spices, and dark/bready malt flavors; with a fantastic malt/bitter/spiciness, and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spiciness. Medium-high carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy, bready, fairly sticky, and slightly chalky mouthfeel that is fantastic. Minimal warming alcohol for 9%. Overall this is an incredible spiced Belgian strong dark ale. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, spices, and dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV, with the mellowly bitter/spicy/drying finish fantastic soft feel for the style. Perfectly balanced between yeast, spices, and rich malt complexity. Not overwhelming on any aspect. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing style example. This was far better than the other two vintages I had previously!

A little sharp for a vintage ale. The alcoholic content feels strong and the brew is a bit harsh. It’s a bit disappointing given how wonderful the blonde ale tastes, but I’ll drink it.

Pours a dark black with high carbonation. Aroma is dark fruit/malt with some plum/fig/cola. Taste is much the same. Carbonation is fairly high and this is fun to sip through but at bomber size, sharing is probably best!

It pours a rich dark brown black color with a foamy tan head that leaves gorgeous lacining the length of the glass. The smell is a breast dough and dark fruits like raisin. The taste is great, we'll balanced, bread to start then a little heat of spices and dark fruits (raisin, and figs). Overalll a thoroughly enjoyable drink.

Great value and creative consistency.
Possibly as my 6th release of the ale, I am glad to have found it again (last purchased 2016) and hope to buy more 2019 before it goes away.

As in years past, this is a great Looker: voluminous head, settles leaving respectable lace and active swirling proteins to the end. A very lively ale driven by Unibroue's accomplished yeast. Smells are certainly above average; full of dark fruit and, then, mild holiday spices. Tastes are balanced. All this yeast-driven malt produces a fruit-cake sensation... deep, rich, complex. This year's vintage takes a luxurious sit in my mouth that I do not want to end.

Trader Joe's secret is who they contract with: one of the truly great North American brewers. I hope to get more of this vintage this year and next... and the one after that. Modest changes on a great recipe keep me coming back. Consistency at its ale-best.

750mL bottle, BB 07-26-22. Dark brown ale with a foamy tan head. Aroma is spicy Belgian yeast, dark fruit, banana, and dark candi sugar. Flavors are very similar to previous years with notes of dark candi sugar, brown sugar, raisinn, fig, bready yeast, spice, and earthy hops. Full body, high carbonation, alcohol is warming, good balance. A perennial pick up for me - good beer for a great price.

 

20191227
bottle - 750ml

 

2019 edition, served in a Chimay chalice. This beer is seriously brown, dark in color, with moderate head. This batch smells seriously spiced, with allspice right up front in the nose. Inviting, like desserts of the season. Flavor carries through that allspice and clove, and actually generates a bit of heat. The ale feels thinner and the caramel Belgian malt is definitely way in the background compared to the more prominent additives. Hop bitterness is undetectable on the palate, though the whole beer is in balance, one way or the other. The heat of the spice also effectively masks the 9% ABV.

This is the most I've remembered enjoying a Trader Joe's Vintage Ale when drunk fresh. This bottle is BB 09-11-2022, and I'm very curious to know if cellaring it kills off the spice flavors and leaves a less interesting beer. It's also the first year I've noticed "Spiced" in the name of Vintage Ale. Usually the young beer is harsher and contains a sour note which I'm not the biggest fan of. This really is a different beast.

 

750 ml bottle. Pours dark brown with tall, long-lasting, foamy beige head, nice lacing and lively carbonation. Aroma is of grassy hops, funky yeast, toasted malt and spices. Body is full and crisp. Spices, funky yeast, herbal hops, toasted malt, dark fruit, toffee and brown sugar fill the mouth. Finish is long and spicy. Nice brew.

Brewed by Unibroue for TJ's.Pours into a stemmed glass a deep mahogany with a tinge of ruby,a large blooming beige head atop,that never really settles,a fantastic pour.Mild phenols and a 'spiced cake' element in the nose,quite dry with not alot of sweetness to it.A real smooth creamy feel,it glides down easy and is on the fuller side.Not very sweet on the palate,somewhat earthy with warming spice,and a nuttiness detected.Has a holiday feel to it,pretty well made.