I was browsing the sampler packs available at Gail's Hops and Grapes the other day and decided to give this one a try from Unibroue.  Unibroue is a Canadian brewery in Chambly, Quebec.  I have seen their beers around but have never tried any until this one...

The sampler I picked up has four different beers, and I think it's all the strong beers made by this brewery.  Three of the four are 9% ABV and the fourth is 8% ABV.  The Don De Dieu is their triple wheat ale.  The Don De Dieu poured with an orange-ish golden color with a foamy head that subsided rather quickly and vanished quickly afterwards.  The beer has a nice citrus aroma and extremely crisp flavor and a light body.  The alcohol flavor doesn't really come though at the colder temperatures, so this beer can be enjoyed colder than some other beers at this alcohol level. 

This beer style seems to be a bit on the novelty side for me.  I like wheat beers, but a 9% wheat beer is just over the top.  Sure... it CAN be done, but the question is why?  I guess if you want to get slammed on less beers, then this is the one to go with.  I like lower alcohol wheat beers that I can enjoy all afternoon without losing my functionality ;)

Today presented cause for celebration, so I made a quick trip out to Gail's Hops and Grapes and picked up a bottle of St. Sebastiaan Grand Reserve out of the best beer cooler in Hickory.  This beer is made by the Sterkens Brewery in Meer, Belgium. 

St. Sebastiaan Grand Reserve is a Belgian strong pale ale that rings in at 10% ABV.  As we know from previous tastings of beer with this level of alcohol, they usually serve better at warmer temperatures to take the alcohol flavor away, and this one is no exception.  Notes from the bottle:

A single batch of St. Sebastiaan Grand Reserve is brewed each year.  This limited edition release from Brewery Sterkens is brewed with utmost care to be one of the finest beers in the world...

The Belgian ales are beers that I haven't spent a lot of time tasting, but I plan to in the near future.  I have been reading about them with the anticipation of possibly brewing a Belgian ale sometime in the near future.  I bought a book that is quite informative called "Brew Like A Monk" a while back, but I haven't gotten through it all yet.  Anyway... this beer is really nice.  It poured with a golden/amber hue with a thick head.  The aroma was rather sweet with citrus notes and possibly a small hint of apple.  The hop presence is very low while the beer has an extra crisp flavor that resides soundly on the malty side.  This beer is definitely a keeper and it's gonna fall high on my list of recommended drinks that will be coming up after I get to the 100 count in tasting this year. 

As for the celebration, I finally landed a job in Radiography.  After spending three years back in school to get re-trained for a different career, I finally have my foot in the door.  It's a part time job, but it's a great start.  Luckily, the place that is hiring me was my favorite clinical site while I was in school, so that's a bonus too :)