Allagash Gargamel

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

I lucked into getting to try a few half full large Allagash Chalice’s of this wonderful elixir. One even poured by Rob Tod and shared with a few other brewers who came to the release once the initial crowd thinned out. The glass had this awesome reddish brownish body brew covered with a short lasting head The aroma was a wonderful Fresh raspberries and Brett inspired goodness. The Oak ageing came into play as she warmed. It is hard to believe that this brew was a mistake. The flavors from the sourness and the funk, mixed well with the fresh raspberries. It is an incredibly well balanced sour and quite enjoyable. I saw a couple come in to the brewery not even knowing about the release. try it and really enjoy the brew, that just proved to me how well balanced the flavors are. It was crisp and light in your mouth adding another positive factor to the experience. The three glasses I had went down with out a problem, grant it was spread out for a few hours. To me the drinkability for this sour is off the charts I will say, yes I am from Maine and I am glad to see some attention being given this American Wild Ale from the west coat. So in that way I suppose I am biased, but give it a try and see if you agree

375ml. bottle. Pours a stunning brown-red-amber with a medium white head. Aromas of sour cherries, niagra grapes, sweaty socks, and a hint of oak. The flavor is truly fascinating: it starts out with sour cherries, grapes, and a touch of funk then transforms into yeasty, bready flavors that are rich and refreshing. Gargamel is a very clean, smooth, and refreshing creation that was very carefully constructed and is unlike anything I have tried before. This a an extraordinarily special beer.

Let me start by saying, the $185 speeding ticket on the way to get this, was well worth it. Poured an orange brown into my Allagash tulip glass. The head was a medium sized, creamy,and slightly off-white in color. The aroma is what really makes this beer. Raspberry and Cherries at first with a hint of alcohol. Also a nice amount of Brett with wood and some light citrus notes. When it first hit my lips there is a wonderful raspberry presence that plays well with that great sourness.Carbonation is lively with a astringent finish. The raspberry really don’t take away from the wonderful sourness of this beer. Thank you Allagash.

375 bottle, bought release day 5/7/09. This beer pours a somewhat cloudy dark orange/brown color. The head is a thin white foam that recedes to a ring. There’s a hint of red in the glass too, potentially from the raspberries. Aroma is a funky sour raspberry scent with sweet malt undertones. Flavor is at first a sweet almost dubbel like, which then melds perfectly into a sour tart flavor of both sour yeasts and raspberries. There’s a hint of the oak flavor in the beer. Mouthfeel is soft as silk. To me this is like a Panil Bariquee meets La Choulette Framboise, which is a heck of an accomplishment. This is the most impressive Allagash brew yet, and absolutely amazing. A sign of things coming from one of the best brewers in the US.

In short: A funky/brettty acidic raspberry sour ale. As good as it sounds.
How: From the bottles at Boston Extreme Beer Fest 2009. Multiple samples (many many)
The look: Almost clear golden body topped by a medium beige head
In long: What a nose with a blend of brett and raspberries. In mouth this thing just explodes. Raspberry seeds, cherry and oak sourness, cedar woodiness, side-flavour of pineapples, medium brettanomyces presence, a little lemony. Acidity level is medium-high and with the brett adds a nice dryness. For now bottles will only be available at the brewery. Get Some! Allagash really has a winner with the Gargamel. Smurfin good!!!

Quite a few samples both at EBF NOTB and session 1. Lightly hazy reddish amber in color with a slight pink colored off white head. Aroma of fresh rasberry, lots of brett, some light to moderate funk. Taste was so well balanced with rasberry, mild funk, oak, and some nice brett tartness, and mild red wine and vinegar. The acetic sourness got moderate in the finish, but this was all about balance- just the right amount of fresh rasberry, brett, and acetic acid. This was phenomenal.

Draft, Numerous samples at Night of the Barrels and Extreme Beer Fest 2009. Amber body with a bit of an orange hue, capped with a big beige head. Very enticing aroma, with lots of wild yeast, earth, and some raspberry. Flavor begins with brett, which is joined by a very dry raspberry flavor, with highlights of oak, mold, earth and apple. I also get a hint of cherry fluoride paste that my dentist used to use. Fairly dry, tart finish. This beer was probably my favorite of the fest. I’ll have to schedule a trip to Portland when the bottles are released.

Bottle acquired in trade with VikingHammer (thanks!). Poured a medium and lightly hazy amberish color with a very small sized off white head. Aromas of a bunch of different berries, woodiness, vanilla, and some funkiness. Tastes of the same berries, fruity, funky, vinous, woody, and vanilla. Nice sour finish with a lively body.