Wow, two days, two reviews. It’s like I’m motivated or something. I suppose if I’m going to be motivated about anything, it’s going to be getting good and buzzed.

Anyway…

The History
Unibroue comes from Chambly, Quebec, Canada, just south of Montreal. Started in 1993, Unibroue began importing to the US in ‘94. Despite their overwhelmingly French name (and French named brews), Unibroue is heavily influenced by Belgian traditions due largely to their original brewmaster, Belgian-born Gino Vantieghem. Unibroue is sort of a Canadian version of America’s Ommegang - a new-world brewery brewing old-world beers. Only, unlike most Canadian versions of American things, Unibroue is older, bigger, and [arguably] better (see also: Hockey).

Yes, that was an intentionally backhanded Canada compliment.

Unibroue currently brews a plethora of Belgian-inspired and original ales. With names like La Fin du Monde, Blanche de Chambly, and Seigneuriale - not to mention some seriously epic label art that’s always reminded me of Dungeons & Dragons - Unibroues are unabashedly upscale and lean towards the expensive side. Any website that has an entire section devoted to telling you how to taste their beer isn’t exactly embracing the NASCAR crowd.

The Style
Trois Pistoles (meaning Three Coins, not Three Pistols) is a Belgian-style strong dark ale. Belgian strong darks are typically on the malty side - although some can be quite hoppy - with a fruity, spicy, or floral character imparted by the yeast. They’re also usually bold and on the higher end of alcohol content - anywhere from 7% to 15% ABV.
This beer is also only partially filtered, then bottle-conditioned. What this means is that every bottle contains live yeast, which continues to ferment after bottling and naturally carbonates the beer.

The Tasting
Poured - per instruction - into a snifter, the beer is an opaque cola. Big, fat bubbles rise and pop with almost no retention, even around the edge.

Smells of ‘midrange’ fruit, as in not light like apple, but not dark like blackberry or raisin. Cherries and figs. A swirl releases more carbonation (but still no sticking) and more aroma. Still fairly one-note, though, plus just a hint of spice on the fruit.
Taste is uncharacteristically light. Sweet, malt, spice, and bitter mesh together in almost perfect harmony - to the point where it’s hard to tell one from the other. Fruity sweetness, more cherry, some date, with some fresh-baked bread underneath. A hoppy spice, black pepper. Hints of allspice and nutmeg, maybe from the yeast. Trois Pistoles finishes clean and dry, with barely an aftertaste. Goes down clear and warm, the warmth being the sole hint at this beer’s 9% alcohol content.
An increasing alcohol presence as the beer warms, particularly in the aftertaste. Much more spice towards the end, which makes the beer feel much more bubbly than it is.
Very long lasting carbonation, what one might expect from a bottle conditioned beer. Even with no noticeable head, the beer continues to feel bright and bubbly. On the other hand, it’s very light on the mouth - almost watery. Not what I would anticipate (or desire) from a Belgian strong.
The one upside of such a thin feel is that - in concert with its balanced taste - this beer is dangerously easy to drink.

The Verdict
Light. light light light light light. For a dark strong ale, that’s not the word that should come to mind, but it is. The flavor is spectacular, but it’s a bit weak. The carbonation is perfect, but the feel is a little thin. I want to love this beer, but I just can’t get fully into it.
I’ve heard some great things about this beer, almost universally high ratings. At 9%, and bottle-conditioned, this is the perfect beer for some long term aging. I can only imagine it gets much, much better with age. This bottle is relatively young, which may have contributed somewhat to it’s lackluster performance. Suffice to say, I’ll be picking up another bottle very soon, and you can read my review of that bottle in 2 to 3 years. Be patient.

7/10

Tags: 7/10, beer, belgium, dark ale, unibroue
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