-Reviewed- Lost Abbey 10 Commandments

 Well, it's been a while since I tried this Belgian ale for the first time -going on about 6-7 months now. At the time my curiosity was burning me to a crisp because I am such a big fan of many offerings from Lost Abbey. One of my favorite standbys is Judgment Day, which strong as it is is soooo very quaffable.

The 10 Commandments is one of those big, dark Belgians that is really a work of art by master artisans. First I'll say that this is nothing like most of the other offerings by Lost Abbey, except maybe "Gift of the Magi". I say this because these two beers boldly go where... well you know what I mean. And that means experimenting with FLAVORS. In this case, the 10 Commandments has that fantastic Belgian backbone Lost Abbey is famous for, serving as a perfect foundation for said experimentation. Rosemary. Rosemary? In a beer? Yes! And raisin, prune, and fruity goodness abound. But it's the rosemary that's the star here. You will either like this beer or hate it. If you like rosemary in anything, you will probably like this beer. If you don't like rosemary, then give this one a pass.

And here is the reason for this review. On my first go-round with this beer it was fresh on the shelves at Red Carpet Liquor in Glendale about 6 months ago. And upon that initial tasting it pretty much beat me up and I was quite disappointed with it. There was "something" not right about it. I just couldn't put my finger on what that was. Taste? Smell? For sure it was YOUNG, but what was so predominant, yet so elusive that I had that much trouble deciding why I disliked it so. Yet there was this magical attraction at the same time.

Now I have the answer. It's the rosemary! This time 6 months has acted like a sparring partner with this beer and softened it up a bit. Enough so that this time as I tasted it I was pleasantly surprised. Time is definitely what this beer needs. Even more time indeed than 6 months, but even that much has made it quite quaffable.

A year or two would make this such an enjoyable treat for those who like a slightly spicy brew with an experimental essence of that wonderful rosemary. This herb should be dealt with kid gloves because too much will definitely beat you up like it did me and will be a major turn off. But time can be a certain beer's best friend, and this is no exception. A few quick notes on the rest...

Aroma is heavy on the complex spiciness, the beer pours with a small to moderate head with delicate lacing left on the glass. Mouthfeel is thick, heavy and a bit syrupy, with a coating characteristic that sustains the flavor's starring performance well after each swallow. In the same way a really hoppy IPA leaves that sticky bitter taste behind each sip, the 10 Commandments is similar in some respects. I can still "taste" this more than a minute after each sip leaving me longing for that next sip (and feeling guilty and apprehensive for doing so). And sipping is what must be done with this beer. At 9% ABV this is not huge by some standards, and is certainly well hidden. But it's still more than enough that the alcohol says it's little "hello" to warn you to be careful.

In summary, time is the key to this wonderful beer. 6 months has already done some good things to it, and good thing I bought 4 bottles at the time, because the first was a real disappointment, the second (this one) is showing some great promise. At one year I suspect this will be really good, and at only 1 1/2 - 2 years this should be a true gem. It's really starting to mature and relax the intense rosemary essence that will really make this beer shine in the months to come! Call this one a 7 out of 10 bottles.