Vydra is to hops as to what Chad is to Belgiums.  Is that how they used to write those? 

Anywhoo.  Chad LOVES a good Belgium.  And he brought us in a SERIOUS one.  Duvel's 15th Anniversary Ale.  This thing has its own CASE.  Whoa. 

Don't write me off so fast on this one.  I enjoyed the natural carbonation on it, and the 9.6%abv made me feel like I was sipping on a nice brandy with the boys.  I felt I needed a cigar and I could pull off the look!  But, a warning to the casual sipper out there: this beer is COMPLEX.  It's filled with many a flavor.  The first I tasted was anise, possibly cinnamon?  There's a spicy/sweet component to it, that makes it tad slow to the go for me.  But of course, Chad was all over this.  I would call this a 'Man's Belgian Beer.'  I can just PICTURE a bunch of dudes comparing chest-hairs while sipping this big boy down. 

Us hop-heads, gals, and pilsner drinkers would all be like, 'wha?' 

But, I encourage you to at least TRY IT.  It's a palate expander, for sure.  There's a lot of beers we taste that we think, "oh yum."  This one made me go, "oh neat.  I taste licorice, cinammon, pine....let me try again.' 

It's a challenging beer.  We don't have many of those on the show.  Check it out. 

And now, the scores:

Vydra                  6.5

Chad                     9