Vintage good and bad

As long as I’m on Trader Joe’s, I’ll tell you about their annual specialty brew from made by Unibroue…Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale.  The label suggests that storing the beer for a couple of years will enhance the character and flavor.  I’m not sure about that.  I opened a 2006 last week and couldn’t finish my first glass.  I know when it was new I had a bottle and a taste of corned beef and spices was evident.  I was bearable then, but after 2 years it was just kind of gross.  On the other hand, the 2008 I just had was great.  Dark brown, great carbonation and a great head of uniformly sized bubbles.  There’s a good whiff of yeast and peppery spices, some caramel and butter, and finally a sharp bite of alcohol.  It’s bright on the tongue, spicey, and finishes sweet, but not cloyingly.  I was very happy with this brew.  And hell, it’s from Quebec, the home of my heart.

Good, Bad, but never Ugly