Vicaris Winter 13
Brouwerij Dilewyns

Poured a brown body with one finger tan head that left lace down the glass. There are notes of spice and dark fruits in the aroma but I swear I get this aroma that borders black cherry and licorice (anise?). Medium bodied beer that is easy to drink thanks to the yeast keeping it smooth, tiny bit of caramel and candi sugar (or at least something sugary) sweetness, mostly get flavors of dark fruits that are subdued and this spiciness that I swear is licorice or anise (I might be crazy). I enjoyed drinking this beer but there is not a whole lot there and what is there is just mild; basically the first "session" high ABV Belgian I've ever had.

750ml bottle. Poured out a cloudy, dark, brown color with a small, tan head of bubbly foam. It left some sudsy trails of lace. It smelled of raisin, plum, dried dark fruit and toffee. Tasted rich and malty with some spice and notes of plum, raisin and toffee.

 

A: Pours a mostly clear deep chestnut brown in color with moderate amounts of visible carbonation and a faint amount cola brown highlights. The beer has a finger tall foamy light tan head that reduces to a large patch of mottled thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of dark fruits(raisins + dates), burnt caramel malts, and dark malts with a hint of booziness.

T: Upfront there are moderate flavors of burnt caramel + dark malts with a moderate amount of brown sugar sweetness. That is followed by moderate flavors of dark fruits (raisins and dates) and spicy Belgian yeast. Light amounts of booziness.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: Not the richness and depth of flavor that I expect from a Belgian Strong Dark Ale - still enjoyable.

A: The beer is very dark brown in color. It poured with a quarter finger high dark tan colored head that died down, leaving a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of dark fruits are present in the nose.
T: The taste follows the smell, having flavors of dark fruits—albeit somewhat muted in nature—along with some hints of yeast.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer doesn't seem to exhibit as much of the fruity and sweet flavors that I would normally expect from a Belgian Strong Dark Ale.

Serving type: bottle

 

Really big head. Comforting, not too much alcohol taste but warmed me up like a snifter of brandy. Slight flavor of brown sugar and a little chocolate.

This is a bottle I got at the local deli's close-out sale. Sorry the grocer closed (they had an incredible beer selection) but was happy to pick up this and a bunch of other gems at half off.

Very nice.

Poured from a corked and caged 750 mL bottle into a Brewer's Art goblet. This was a gusher despite an underwhelming cork pop - caught me by surprise. 2013 edition.

A: Dark brown body with perhaps a faint reddish tint. 2 fingers of tan head. Good retention. Light lacing.

S: Dried fruit, raisin, date, plum. Xmas cake spice. Brown sugar. Candi sugar. Chocolate. Toasted pecans.

T: Sweet, dark malts and mild Belgian yeast spice open. Lightly toasted notes appear before a semi-dry, somewhat chocolatey, finish. Noble-type hops and spice cake sweetness linger in the aftertaste. Mild to moderate alcohol presence for 10% ABV.

M: Moderate carbonation with medium to full body. Mouth filling, slightly creamy, effervescence.

O: Nice winter brew here. Not much cloying and fairly quaffable for 10%. Nice depth, if not particularly unique. Delightful on a cold winter night, such as this one.

Prost!

 

 

 

 

From a 750 ml bottle, this beasty pours a thick murky brown with a hair of red coming through
on the edges. Sporting a huge tan head and great lacing it is a beauty. Nose of bready malts,
Belgian candy sugar, dark chocolate, and earthy goodness from the yeast. Flavors of dark
fruits to the middle, Belgian candy to the side, bready malts overall with light spices and some
dark bakers chocolate in the background lending to a light bitterness. VERY complex yet
more than approachable with it's smooth mouthfeel and warming alcoholic presence. The
various fruits are in abundance, orange peel, apple, raisin, just layered one on top of another.
Moderate to light carbonation. Most excellent.
I have yet to have an ale from Vicaris that I did not love. THIS is no exception.

 

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 8/21/2013. Pours slightly cloudy nearly opaque dark brown color with a 2 finger dense khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of raisin, plum, fig, pear, apple, pepper, caramel, toast, dark candi sugar, light chocolate, herbal, and yeast earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/earthy yeast ester and dark/bready malt notes; with good strength. Taste of big raisin, plum, fig, pear, apple, pepper, caramel, toast, dark candi sugar, light chocolate, brown bread, herbal, and yeast earthiness. Lingering notes of raisin, plum, fig, pear, apple, pepper, caramel, toast, candi sugar, light chocolate, herbal, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity of fruity/earthy yeast and dark/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/yeast flavor balance and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a smooth and lightly slick/bready mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with only a slight warming present after the finish. Overall this is an excellent Belgian strong dark ale. All around great complexity and balance of fruity/earthy yeast and dark/bready malt sweetness; and very smooth to sip on for the big ABV. A very enjoyable offering.

 

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a dark red-orange amber with a half glass café au lait colored head that continued growing after pouring and leaving massive lacing. Aroma of caramel malt and dark fresh and dried fruit, slight sourness. Flavor is rich, sweet fruit cake; bready and carmel malt, dark and light dried fruit, dark fresh fruit, rum, brown sugar and chocolate. Finishes slightly drier with holiday and Belgian spicing and a hint of hop bitterness. Medium bodied with light creaminess counteracted by peppery fresh carbonation. A moderately complex, sweet and rich Belgian dark. There are a lot of dark flavors in this and this may be the closest ale I've had with a rum soaked fruit cake flavor profile. Although teetering on the edge of being too sweet, there is enough interesting flavor to carry it off. The high ABV is dangerously well covered. I liked this a great deal and plan to get it again next winter if I can.

 

Draught @ Monks: This is the 2013 release. This one pours a dark brown color with about a half finger of tan head. It leaves some lacing. Nice nose! Spicy and peppery, malts, dark fruits and a hint of chocolate. The taste is very good. Some coffee, chocolate, dark fruits, bready, spices, toffee and a hint of woodsiness. Nice!