Avery Brewing - Collaboration Not Litigation Ale

Tonight I'll be drinking a blended Ale - two belgian brews, one from Avery Brewing, and the other from Russian River Brewing.  The owners, Vinnie and Adam, realized that they both had a Salvation beer in their line-up.  Instead of fighting over the naming rights, they decided to collaborate and bring the two salvations into one bottle......Collaboration not Litigation!  Thus, this little belgian strong ale was born.

The label on the bottle lists Batch #5, bottled in Jan. 2011, 8.91% ABV.  

I'm pouring this into my snifter glass - the beer is a hazy, dirty mahogany brown. The aroma is full of belgian yeast-funk, very sweet apple cider, hint of bananas and cloves.  Also some booze-prunes hiding in there.  That's right, booze-prunes.

The flavor first brings a wave of warm, sweet caramel malts.  Light woody, vanilla flavors join the party with the malts.  After a moment, the beer remembers that it's a belgian and brings a jumbalaya of cloves, spices, and burnt bananas.  All of it is super dry, in spite of the full body and delicate carbonation.  The dry banana spice lingers stubbornly for quite a while.   

Overall Rating:  Rich and delicious!  The belgian characteristics are subdued - not overpowering, but pleasant.  A+ for drinkability - the alcohol is well hidden and this beer goes down smooth.  Give it a try if you can find a bottle.