The story of the Ten Commandments is told in the Old Testament. Regardless of your beliefs, culture, or upbringing, I think we can all agree that this old set of principles has some merit as a basic moral guideline. We’re not here to argue what does and does not constitute justice or law, but some of these are no brainers: don’t kill people, don’t steal stuff, respect your parents, don’t lie.
Luckily for The Lost Abbey there’s nothing in there preventing them from making good beer. Their version of the Ten Commandments is a Belgian Strong Dark Ale that, as the name of the suggests, might actually loosen your moral fortitude. At 10% ABV, you better share a bottle lest you start coveting your neighbor’s wife.
Appearance
Very dark brown with a shade of dark maroon or purple. Two and a half fingers of billowing off white head recedes rather quickly and leaves a nice Belgian lacing.
Aroma
Sweet smells of dark fruits waft up from the glass and include plum, raisins, figs. Strong malt notes of caramel, brown sugar, and honey are cut by alcohol and slight tartness from the Belgian yeast.
Taste
The sweetness of the dark malt hits the tongue first followed by prune, cherry, and raisin. Yeasty notes include a slight pepperiness with some woody oak. Sweetness is balanced by a pop of alcohol in the finish.
Mouthfeel
Deceptively light bodied with a low to medium level of carbonation. Lower level of carbonation than would be expected in a Belgian Ale. Finish is dry with a slightly warming alcohol bite.
Drinkability
An American interpretation of the style. Flavors are big, alcohol is big, but the beer maintains balance. Such a large flavor profile does not lend itself to slugging an entire 750ml by yourself, but you should have no problem finding a friend to share this with. Sharing will help you score some good karma for the next time you break one of the Commandments. Overall grade for The Lost Abbey Ten Commandments: B
The Lost Abbey Ten Commandments
Up next on Tuesday Tasting: Grand Teton Wake Up Call Imperial Coffee Porter