United Nations of Beer

Unibroue Trois Pistoles

by Ashley Cotter-Cairns
(UNOB HQ)

Trois Pistoles from Unibroue: stand and deliver

Unibroue Trois Pistoles (9% ABV)
Unibroue, QC, Canada

Trois Pistoles is really quite a pleasant, if strong, beer. It's one of those super-dark, thin and fizzy beers that you could mistake for Coke from a range of two feet or so.

One sniff dispels that illusion: the strong yeasty/fruit nose promises a challenging experience. I've had Maudite and not particularly enjoyed it, so I was expecting the worst.

But this beer has that dark, crisp bite that is shared by its weaker sister beer, Chambly Noire (which at 6.2% ABV is only weak comparitively speaking!). At 9% ABV, Trois Pistoles will certainly put ammo in your pistol (just before the third bottle renders said pistol half-cocked for the evening).

For some reason, the darker Chambly brews are more mellow, easier to handle. There's still an explosion of yeasty, wheaty taste. In fact, at first it's almost overwhelming.

Later, you'll grow accustomed to it, in addition to the tingly aftertaste that's rich and complex, caramel sweetness with bitter undertones coming through the finish, like a sniper taking aim at a wedding party crowd.

Unibroue Trois Pistoles is well worth seeking out. It's not to be taken lightly, especially if you opt for the mega 750ml monster format, but one way or another you won't be unmoved.