Grande Reserve 17 2011 – Unibroue

Most readers of this blog will need no introduction to the mighty mighty Unibroue, pride of Chambly, Quebec.  One of the best brewers of “Belgian-style” ales outside Belgium, they have remained a massive force in Quebec brewing, even after being bought out Sleeman, and subsequently Sapporo.  Makers of the renowned Fin du Monde, Maudite, Trois Pistoles, Blanche du Chambly and many others, Unibroue deserves its reputation.  But what happens to a brewery like this when you get a new head brewer?  In some cases, destruction.  For Unibroue, though, in 2007 when Jerry Vietz took over, more success followed.  The first beer Jerry created was 17, to celebrate their 17 anniversary.  Three years later, when they entered bottled versions of that vintage to the World Beer Awards in England, it won the highly coveted Best Dark Ale, and was widely proclaimed “The Best Beer in the World”.  This bottle is a new batch off the same recipe.  It has been released to the LCBO, and it’s moving quick.  While it should be quite a nice beer now in 2011, come 2014 (apocalypse notwithstanding) it will be massive. Let’s do this!

Unibroue Grande Reserve 17 2011

Unibroue Grande Reserve 17 2011

From a classic Unibroue 750ml corked and caged dinner bottle, with both a production stamp on the neck, and an individual bottle number including year on the label, Grande Reserve 17 pours a murky brown with glimmers of ruby red at the sides.  A big foamy off-white head settled to a dense 1/4″ blanket that was kept alive throughout the drink by the brew’s carbonation.  Aroma is big, roasty malts, with chocolate and molasses. There’s some banana and yeast, cola-like spices, kind of like a sexy beery banana bread.  Also cherries and maybe some raspberries.  I am getting little hints of coffee and rum, which just adds to the sense that this would be one heck of a breakfast. There’s something a little herbal and spicy that I take to be hops.  Everything is cleaned up with a nice alcohol tang and some phenols.  And I haven’t even put it to my mouth yet!  Oh man, just magic on the tongue.  Immediately sweet and malty, some chocolate and coffee again, and vanilla which I’m assuming is from the barrel.  Nice and spicy, the yeast is definitively Unibroue’s. There’s some more fruits on the mid palate, nice and jammy and sweet.  Dried cherries and figs and currants.  The finish is nicely drying, with a hit of cocoa on the back of the tongue and the coffee bitterness lingering, leaving a clean aftertaste that readies you for the next sip.  On the palate, the beer is actually a bit lighter than I was expecting, both from the style and the brewery.  The moderate carbonation gave it a nice effervescence, and really makes it drink much more like a dubbel, which is dangerous, as this bottle weighs-in at 10%.  Over-all, as noted by others (Stephen Beaumont and Stephen Rich at least), this bottle is very drinkable, yet it will do well with some age on it, like it’s predecessor.  At $9.95/bottle, maybe buy three, drink one now, one in three years and one in five.  Actually, buy 5 and sell the two extra in year five and you will make a profit.  As I am on baby-budget right now, I might just be the rube who buys the bottle off you in 2016.

Sante Unibroue!  Many thanks.

About the Brewery

Unibroue LogoCreated in 1991, Unibroue is the biggest craft brewery in Quebec and among the biggest in North America. It brews more than 15 beer brands and has won over 165 international medals since its inception. Unibroue is headquartered in Chambly and has eight warehouses in Quebec. Its nearly 300 employees work in production, distribution, sales and marketing, and administration. For more information about Unibroue, please visit www.unibroue.com

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