I got this in early July when we were in Maine. Bought it when I stumbled into a conversation with Rob Tod, the man behind Allagash, when I was at the brewery's retain shop. I mentioning (like a dooffus) that I had had my one and only bad Allagash experience with a Victor '07 or '08, a strong beer aged in wine barrels, and was picking up the '09 wanted to disprove my taste buds, wash away the memory. And as the Sox are on the TV again, Remy is back and Wakefield is back, so I figure this is the magic moment I have been waiting for.

The beer pours a gorgeous burnished gold under lightly rocky head that fades to sheet and froth. The aroma has both the grain and the grape. It slightly reminds me of calvados... which is a better association than I had last time. I dive in the deep end with a big swig. What relief. Where the previous version reminded me of harsh Nova Scotian teen drinks of the late 1970s like Brador or a boilermaker, this one is balanced with the Belgian golden strong ale bracing the light grape fruit with both bread crustiness and a bit of yeasty spice. Some sweetness and also heat. A bit of must like a stock ale, even. Even though, as Allagash's Greg pointed out, there is no chardonnay grape in Victor, the overall effect is a bit like a big oaked chardonnay - though you could say it is like a musty Muscadet as well. You could have this with smoked fish chowder or a cheese like old Gouda or Jalsberg very nicely.

Plenty of BAer respect with a fair range of opinion.