Unibroue 17 Review

Overall 5.00 of 5 (by 1 user)

kevin
Chicago, IL

Unibroue 17 is a wonderfully refreshing dark ale

trying new things, beer drinker

JUL

2008

Unibroue 17 is a craft beer brewed by Unibroue (surprise!) in celebration of their 17th (surprise!) anniversary. It seems that they brew and bottle a special beer each year; this is in addition to their more popular La Fin Du Monde, Maudite, and other brews that they produce. I've seen the 15 and 16 in the store, but based on a strong recommendation from a friend I tried the 17. Let me start by saying he didn't steer me wrong!

The 17 comes in a 750ml bottle (the same size as a standard wine bottle) topped with a wire cage and a cork (like champagne) and opened with a satisfying "pop!" It poured a very vigorous head which I had to let settle...about 2.5 inches. (A beer guru friend of mine says this means that the beer could stand to age in the bottle longer...) The color was a rusty brown; deep but without any cloudiness.

When tasting, I was immediately impressed with the caramely malt. The hops are there, just much more subtle, which I enjoyed. I'm not at all a hop-head and believe that the hops should blend with the rest of the flavors, which they do in this beer. There are also hints of spice and a touch of fruit. The beer felt very light in the mouth, very refreshing and crisp.

At 10% ABV and 750ml, the Unibroue 17 is is definitely a beer you'll want to share with a friend or two. It's a well balanced, flavorful beer that I'll be coming back as long as I can still get buy! I may even try cellaring a bottle or two and seeing how/if it improves after a year.