Quick Sip 008. Unibroue La Terrible

When you look at the photo for this week's pour, you may wonder why I only went with half a glass. The answer is simple: La Terrible by Unibroue has an Alcohol By Volume (ABV) of 10.5%. Since I still have work to do tonight (for a peak of what I'm up to, take a look at the various projects over at my other blog, mikemitchellonline.blogspot.com), I didn't think it wise to consume more than half a glass.

I have heard of this beer before. And, truthfully, it's been sitting in the beer fridge for a long time. Since it's such a big bottle, I was reluctant to open it. But, I've recently decided I need to drink some of my back-shelf stock before it sours, so I'm going through things I normally would drink in the winter, not the summer. That is to say, heavier fare, like this midnight-black concoction. Honestly, when I poured this into the glass, I wondered if I shouldn't call NASA and tell them that I've isolated dark matter right here on earth.

Yup, it's black.

I mean really black. It is as dark as Guinness from the bottom of the keg. I've only seen one or two other beers this dark, and one of those would include Storm King, which might be darker than this. I would have to put them side-by-side to be sure.

Anyway, the aroma didn't thrill me.  It was malty and fruity... sweet notes dominated the nose. The head was a generous, but slow-to-rise tan that left decent lacing. I drank it at about 50-55 degrees F, and found it to be much more pleasant than I had expected. In the past, most beers of that strength kick like a mule and taste like mule hooves that have been prancing in the field. In other words, they taste like rotgut that someone has cut with beer.

This wasn't bad, though. I actually enjoyed the fruitiness and it came off lighter than I expected (of course, my expectations were just this side of molasses, based as they were on its appearance). Not sure of the fruit: Cherries or plums? Slight hint of chocolate, and more than an aftertaste of yeast. But not in an entirely bad way.

If I'd been drinking this in the winter, I would be curled up under a blanket and marathon re-watching the last season of Community. As it is, I've had half a glass tonight and put a wine stopper in it for another night. I know someone who I think would like this, so I'll save it for the next time I see Josh B. I'll let you know what he thinks of it.

La Terrible is a dark brown beer on lees and is part of a collection of exotic and refined Unibroue beers brewed using 100% natural raw materials. It may be drunk as an aperitif or as an after dinner digestive. It is equally a perfect accompaniment to the above-mentioned dishes or a pleasant alternative to coffee.
-- From their Website:  www.unibroue.com 

ABV: 10.5%
My Rating: 7 out of 10