Cellaring Unibroue Beers

Grand Reserve 17 became a French Oak bomb with time, way better than it was fresh. I've had four year old Quatre Centieme I enjoyed, and an Edition 2004 last year that was still great. You're safe on the majority of their stuff.

 

I put a few 12 oz bottles of Maudite in the cellar a few years ago, and tried them at 1 year, 2 year, and 3.5 year. Not much change, I would say it never improved. Wouldn't again.

I think La Terrible might be a better candidate for aging.

 

Our first grandson was born a couple of weeks ago. I want to get a half dozen or so bottles that I can cellar until he hits drinking age. I realize that he probably won't appreciate it & I may be dead but I want to do it anyway. What beer that is of a reasonable price & available in Buffalo NY should I consider. Narwahl is where I'm currently headed.

 

If you can find a bottle of it I would presume that Sam Adams Utopias is probably the best candidate. Other common recommendations include Samichlaus, J.W. Lees Harvest Ale, Bell's Expedition, Bell's Third Coast Old Ale, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot and Thomas Hardy's Ale. Various high-quality gueuze lambics as well.

 

What he said, Send me $300 dollars and Ill ship you a 2011 Utopias. Break the old bank a little, oily gold bottle and box with glass and all! Zun zun zun zun.

 

Back to the topic at hand, Unibroue 17 was originally just brewed once for their 17th anniversary. They kept bringing bottles and kegs to beer competitions for three years afterwards and it kept winning. That is to say the original batch with 3 years on it was winning competitions against the likes of Chimay, St. Bernardus, you name it.

So while I don't have any personal cellar experience with this beer I would still say the resurrected Grande Reserve 17 is probably a damn good candidate for aging.

 

In all seriousness, me too. I have a couple 17's and Monde's hanging out.

 

17 ages beautifully, have one more 2011 left. Drank the original batch of 17 at 3yrs old and it was amazing.

 

Trois Pistoles & Maudite are already good beers , and yes they do get better with some age on them , I tried each after a

year in the cellar and would do it again , currently only have one of each in the cellar with almost 2 years on them .

La Fin Du Monde , Grand Reserve 17 & La Terrible should also be in your cellar , prost

 

Have to throw in TJ's Vintage here, since it is brewed by Unibroue and it ages quite nicely.

 

750mL bottles of La Fin du Monde, Maudite, and Trois Pistoles got me started into drinking beer. Now that I have had other examples I really feel as though they don't hold up. The house yeast produces flavours that are distracting and inappropriate for style. Don't waste space in the cellar for these. St. Bernardus abt 12 and Tripel Karmeliet are easily accessible and on a completely different plane of existence. I would put Unibroue on the same page as Leffe and Affligem.

Just compare La Fin du Monde with Tripel Karmeliet, Westmalle, or even (Fresh) Chimay White. Good belgian yeast should be subtle and enticing, big flavours are not always good flavours. (What's with the sweetness/banana in La Fin du Monde?) Rereview La Fin du Monde if you haven't in a few years.

Trois Pistoles/La Terrible has a clear tomato paste flavour/aroma that is related to the house flavour. Do a side by side of Rochefort 8, Chimay Blue, and Trois Pistoles. Even after a year this flavour doesn't subside. Possibly Unibroue has lost some of its zing due to the new(ish) ownership, but regardless I would not consider them decent examples of belgian ales (read not age-worthy).

 

17 and Terrible age great. I have had both fresh, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years and 4 years. Never a disipointment.

 

Throw 3 years at any strong dark beer they brew and your laughing.

 

I've got some old Unibroue stuff that I'm gonna crack open at Xmas:

2002 Unibroue 11

2002 Terrible

1998 La Fin Du Monde


And earlier this year I cracked open a 2004 Ephemere Cranberry. You could still taste the cranberry, it was nicely tart and fruity, with good carbonation.