Trois Pistoles
This is my favorite Unibroue. The pour is dark amber, with a head that subsides to a good lace. The nose is mellow raisins and more indicative of what's inside than Fin du Monde. The palette opens to malt after malt after malt and arrives at a taste much like raspberries. Some chocolate notes, I suppose, and mild spice, but mostly this beer is luscious, ripe fruit. A magnificent Belgian; the relationship to Chimay is apparent. The fruits give way to a light hoppiness and then return. The finish is medium dry, the sweetness of the raspberries still holding firm. Outside of a slight fizziness, the mouthfeel is exceptional. It seems that Unibroue threw a ton of malt into this one and let the yeast go wild. The final product is a relatively sweet, textured brew that drinks dangerously well. With FDM, I know to stop; it's hard to stop with Trois Pistoles. Spectacular effort. Maybe it's too much to ask, but I would have appreciated a little more hop effort. I know, I know -- this beer's not trying to do that; but if it is wanting in anything, it is only in that. Balanced enough as it is though. A stunning archetype of the Belgian strong dark ale style. Relax, relax. ng