Unibroue Maudite

A- / 4.2
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 5

ABV: 8.00%
Style: Belgian strong dark ale
Purchased: $2.49 per 12 oz. bottle at Wine Gourmet in Roanoke, VA

Served in a Maudite snifter, this beer pours with 3 fingers of pillowy head that crest over the top of the glass. It holds together well leaving tons of fine lacing. The body is a dark auburn color, slightly hazy. There's a gentle fragrance that is clove-y and yeasty, with a farm-fresh quality that intensifies as it warms and is swirled. Almost minty.

There's a lot to like out of the first sip; abundant caramel and specialty malt flavor balanced well with the Belgian yeast, and a light, wet, yet highly carbonated almost soda-like mouthfeel that seems to provide exceptional drinkability. Finishes spicy but still not dry. This beer provides a jolt to all senses.

If I could change anything, it might be sacrificing some drinkability for more depth in the body. If I'm paying $2.50 a bottle I'm probably not going to be pounding these all night, so it could sit a little heavier. Still, that's a minor complaint. Very nice, and now I'm even more proud of my Maudite snifter.