Unibroue Maudite: Appearance

One of the few beers that is truly brown in color. Extremely hazy, opaque body but fine, spastic effervescent can be seen crawling along the side of the glass. Forms a large, beige, foamy head which is slow to dissipate but doesn’t lace the glass.

Unibroue Maudite: Smell

Plenty of dark fruit, dried fruit and autumn-like spice notes.

Unibroue Maudite: Taste

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a beer where I literally said “wow,” after the first sip. Thankfully, Unibroue Maudite has broken that streak. I’m not usually a fan of the general “Belgian Strong Dark Ale” style, but for whatever reason this beer makes it work quite well. It’s a complex, robust body that doesn’t overwhelm the palate.

There’s a lot of different flavors happening in this brew. It begins with a light fruit note. Red apple, plum, fig and raisin are all quite prominent immediately. I taste a sweetness reminiscent of applesauce and cinnamon. There’s a slight rum sensation at the crest of the swig, quickly followed by dry bitterness and additional spice. This is a delectable palette to say the least, and I especially enjoy the fact it’s not sticky, cloying or boozy.

Unibroue Maudite: Drinkability

While Unibroue Maudite might not be the most chuggable beer ever, but it’s remarkably smooth for what it is. The carbonation is very fine and energetic. I did get some CO2 stuck in the throat, but it was easily tolerable. The aftertaste is slightly spicy and a tad dry. At 8% ABV it’s quite efficient for the style, as others of double-digit strength have about as much flavor. There is minor alcohol warmth throughout, but it’s complementary, not distracting.