Rare Beer Alert: The Lost Abbey has let us into their beer cellar and gave us a taste of their 2013 Vintage 10 Commandments Belgian Dark Ale.  Infused with honey, darkened raisins, and rosemary, this 10% ABV mountain of boozy silk hasn’t emerged in over 5 years -- until now.

What does 5 years do to a beer like this? Cellared in The Lost Abbey’s cellar at ideal temperatures and light conditions, you get one-of-a-kind experiences like this:

• The 10% ABV has mellowed, meaning your tongue won’t sting from the booze so you can taste every dimension of all the silky, figgy flavors.
• A slow trickle of oxygen into the beer over time transforms bright fruit notes into brown sugary essences of dried plums and dates amplified by the raisins.  Any bitterness disappears, allowing the honey to come more to the forefront. The rosemary, though mild, is very present in the finish.
• The mouthfeel becomes all that much smoother, with all the ingredients melding into one cohesive experience like a fine sherry or port.

Short of stockpiling a stash back in 2013, this is one of the only ways you’ll ever get to experience this vintage of 10 Commandments.  No need to stash away a bottle in your cellar, The Lost Abbey has done the hard part for you...the waiting game. Just open up a bottle, bring over your beer nerd friends, and savor its 5-year journey to your palate.

Rated 4.09 on Untappd; Top 100 Belgian Strong Dark Ale on BeerAdvocate