Unibroue Grande Reserve 17 (4/10)

Unibroue's La Fin Du Monde and Trois Pistoles are two of my favorite beers.  That's why it surprises me that I really don't care for Grande Reserve 17.

This is a Dark Ale on Lees beer, brewed in French Oak with spices.  It's everything I like in one beer, and yet, I don't like it.

The color is a deep brown, the color of Coca Cola or Pepsi.  The head is a luxurious light brown, which dissipates fairly quickly.  It leaves behind a thick milkshake-like lace that vanishes to a thin, spotty affair.

The flavor is overwhelmingly sour.  It reminds me of an IPA I once brewed at home that contained a lot of brown sugar and molasses.  The sourness is the dominant flavor, with a malty, spicy flavor behind it. I taste a little of the oak aging, but not that much.

The folks at Beer Advocate strongly disagree with me on this one, rating it a 93 or "exceptional".  Perhaps my bottle wasn't aged long enough, or perhaps it just didn't age as well, I don't know.  Because it's from Unibroue, I may try it again, but I can't recommend it based on this sampling.

I don't recall where this was purchased, but the most likely candidates were The Andersons General Store or Kenny Road Market.



ABV: 10%
IBU:  35
My rating: 5/10