Allagash Gargamel

Brewed by Allagash Brewing Company
Style: Sour Ale
Portland, Maine USA

Great beer.....nice oak character present in the aroma and flavor. Raspberries are there, but not necessarily as much as I anticipated. Nice finish. Perfect mouthfeel with "prickly carbonation," yet a surprisingly creamy smooth finish. Nice, yet odd, grainy malt flavor in the finish. Yellowish/Amberish/Orangish color, with minimal off-white head.

Foxy mahogany. Thin but creamy and retentive white head. Sharp alcohol and oak on the nose, with expressive notes of lactobacillus, peach, vanilla, red wine, and coconut. Muted iron and straw scents along with a pleasant waft of mustiness. Snug carbonation. Initial alcoholic and tannic tingle is offset by a vibrant peach splash and a bouncy straw-tinged malt base. Malt becomes borderline grainy and astringent as it progressively takes on more toastiness. Much more lactic than bretty as the brett merely yields a flash of plasticlike phenols. Fruity esters impart plenty of succulence while a savory blend of lactobacillus and coconut add to the tropical nuance. Poorly extracted malt is nauseatingly husky, and though the oak exhibits some relative restraint, it also manages to exacerbate the graininess. Fierce bite of peppery alcohol creeps in as well. Finishes fairly empty with a simplistic mixture of oak, red wine, coconut and mild vanilla. Does have a fairly pleasant tropical medley going on in the aroma, albeit a fairly simple one. Llittle in the way of depth or character, however, and the malt character is grainy and unclean. Pretty straightforward.

Bottle from Vikinghammer (thanks!) Ginger ale colored pour, medium carbonation and a wonderful funky sour aroma. Flavor was just as good as the aroma; sour raspberries, cherries, funky yeast and finished smooth and mellow. Although this one was very good, I wouldn’t trade away anything ultra rare to get it.

Bottle generously shared by MrBunn... Thanks Joel for stealing my Smurf thoughts.. Pours a murky orange...fizzy head..Aromas are tart cherries, white grapes and some apple. Best part to me about it is it doesnt have the Apple cider vinegar funk that many sours seem to have. Good blend of fruit flavors. Taste is about the same with a hint of raspberries showing through.Maybe its because I read the Description...maybe not. Very good overall....even if there is some mashed up Smurfs in the bottom of the barrel. They suffered for a worthy cause.

Bottle with thanks to Mike. Pours a darkisj amber with a little bit of a fizzy head that dies quickly. Aromas of sour fruit: cherries, grapes & apples. Flavor makes me want to sqash Smurfs or carry out some other sinister plan. A nice mix of tart flavors with enough malt to keep things balanced.

Bottle. Pours a cloudy peach color with an off white head that diminished to a small ring, light lacing. Nose was slightly tart with raspberries and citrus fruits, light buttered popcorn and Brett as well. Flavor also held some tart raspberries and citrus peel. Finishes with a nice lemony acidity and quite dry. I like how the berries are noticeable but not over powering.

Flamboyant carbonation for style, lively. Sour raspberries have morphed into strawberries on the nose with a dose of sour funk. The mid-palate is rather short and un-evolved, perhaps with time it will flesh out. Cashews, toffee, and praline blanket the palate as this beer finishes. A warm biscuit dough lingers as the end of this beer seems to be the main event. French oak is firm and serves to bring eveything together. Dry and clean.

(375 ml bottle from the brewery) Pours rusty, slightly murky amberish with a biege cap that is mostly retained. Aroma is sour, tart and clean with notes of Brett, wood and cherry/berry. Mouthfeel is smooth and medium-full. The finish is quite dry. Light broken rings and dabs of lacing left inside of snifter. Flavor features a wonderful oak and berry presence. Tart and sour but easy to drink. Not overly acidic at all. Light caramel provides a nice underlayment, more apparent as it warms. I esp. loved the wood presence in this one. ABV well-hidden. Wonderful beer.