2010 American Craft Beer Week: Day 6 – Allagash Victor and Victoria

American Craft Beer Week can be a great reason to drink the good stuff. Two beers that been neglected due to my potiomania are Allagash's Victor and Victoria. I wanted to open them up at the same time, but I always had an excuse to avoid the tasting.

First a little background. I've never seen the movie or stage version of Victor/Victoria, but I did visit Wikipedia a few minutes ago.

[Set in 1930s Paris.] "A penniless soprano, named Victoria, colludes with a struggling gay impresario to disguise herself as a man named Victor, who entertains as a female impersonator known as "Victoria" - and as a result becomes the toast of Paris. Complications arise when a Chicago mobster sees the act and finds himself attracted to the star."

So if I am reading it right, Victoria pretends to be a man pretending to be a woman and gets a job as a female impersonator in a nightclub. All the while, she takes a gay lover to enhance the con.

It turns out (at least according to the brewery's descriptions) these beers have nothing to do with the movie or play.

Day 6
May 22, 2010

Beer #1: Allagash Victoria
Vintage 2009

Website/Bottle Information:
"To create our unique, Belgian-style Victoria Ale, the brewers drew on references to Bacchus, the Thracian god of wine, in the history and artwork of the Victoria Mansion as inspiration for this new beer. One hundred and fifty pounds of Chardonnay grapes were brought in, crushed on site and added directly to the mash.

Victoria Ale's aroma is of fruity spice with a hint of the Chardonnay, and the taste presents subtle notes of green banana, black pepper, and fresh-crushed mint. With a focus on the subtle, wine-like character of the grapes, the 9.0% ABV brew boasts a pale copper color, Belgian yeast influence, and a medium body with a long candied fruit finish with hints of honeydew melon, and, of course, Chardonnay.

Allagash Victoria Ale is a tribute to the historic Victoria Mansion here in Portland, Maine. Also known as the Morse-Libby House, it is one of the greatest 19th century houses in the United States. Designed by architect Henry Austin, the mansion was built between 1858 and 1860 and survives as a unique example of the princely palaces created for America's wealthiest citizens in the pre-Civil War era. With superb architecture and well-preserved original interiors, the Victoria Mansion is an unparalleled document of America's highest aspirations in architecture, interior design, and the decorative arts.

The Victoria Mansion has operated as a museum since it was saved from demolition in 1940, and today the non-profit organization that owns it remains committed to its preservation and interpretation to a wide audience. Allagash Brewing Company has partnered with the Victoria Mansion to help in the restoration of this National Historic Landmark. For every bottle of Victoria Ale purchased, Allagash will donate $1 towards helping restore the mansion, located on Danforth Street in downtown Portland."

Serving: 1 Pint, 9.4 fl.oz. (750 mL) Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
ABV: 9.0%

He Said:
First of all, I had no idea when I purchased these two bottles their likeness to wines. Victoria pours light gold and clear. The beer smells faintly of white wine, from the Chardonnay grapes, but the aroma is tame compared to the explosive flavor. The carbonation is lively.

Unlike most beers containing grapes (added some time during the brewing process or fermentation), Victoria almost tastes like half sparkling wine and half Belgian pale. What does a beer-wine taste like? Victoria is sweet when it hits the tongue and finishes slightly spicy and dry. I bet you can find wine and beer tasting notes with similar descriptions. However, Victoria is a unique beer experience.

Despite the high price (~$18 if memory serves me right), I will be picking up another one of these to be opened on a special occasion.

She Said:
Victoria doesn't have much of a nose. In fact, it is hard to smell anything other than clean glass. The head was rather small, due to a slow pour. The color is a light gold with bubbles racing for the top in a constant stream.

The taste is sort of sweet in a Belgian pale kind of way. Victoria is smooth from start to finish. Very nice. 4 hops out of 5.

Beer #2: Allagash Victor
Vintage 2009

Website/Bottle Information:
"The Victor Ale was inspired by its feminine-named predecessor, the Victoria Ale. With chardonnay grapes to make the Victoria Ale unique, our brewers decided to use red chancellor grapes for the Victor. Over one hundred pounds of chancellor grapes were crushed on site and added directly to the mash. In addition to a generous portion of Pilsner malt, Victor is hopped with Fuggles and Hallertau and fermented with a wine yeast strain. With a focus on the subtle wine-like character of the grapes, the 9.0% ABV brew maintains a copper color, wine yeast influence and a medium body with a tart and spicy finish.

Allagash Victor Ale is a tribute to the St. Lawrence Arts and Community Center, perched at the crest of Munjoy Hill in the Portland's East End. A National Historic Landmark, this granite and slate church was built in 1897 by Arthur Bates Jennings. The Romanesque, Queen Anne architecture is accented with turrets and over 90 stained glass windows; it is a distinctive and unique building whose history and mission serves Portland well.

The church has been renovated by the non-profit group, Friends of the St. Lawrence Church. The Center's mission is to create a community focused auditorium where everyone can enjoy the arts. Allagash will contribute $1 from every bottle of Allagash Victor sold to help realize the mission of the St. Lawrence Arts and Community Center."

Serving: 1 Pint, 9.4 fl.oz. (750 mL) Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 9.0%

He Said:
Victor pours slightly darker (caramel-amber) than Victoria. Victor's flavor is a little tighter as well – very wine-like. The grapes chosen and use of wine yeast really make a noticeable difference. Victor is also much more aromatic than Victoria. I get mostly Belgian and wine yeast funk on the nose. The beer has a sweet wine flavor and maybe some apples going on. The taste matches the nose. I didn't notice any hop characteristics in this beer until it warmed and was flat.

Overall, I liked Victor a little better, but I'll be picking up both iterations next time I'm at the store.

She Said:
Victor looks darker than his wife Victoria. The slow pour once again left very little head in the glass, but I got some nice yum-yums at the bottom of my glass. The aroma is sweet it's not smash-you-in-the-face sweet. The beer tastes like a more hardy beer than Victoria – it is more serious whereas Victoria was playful and light. This one has more of a bite, but stays very smooth throughout. Very enjoyable. 4½ hops out of 5.