BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru 2007 (Bourbon Barrel)

Formerly brewed at BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes)
Style: Sour Ale
Saignelégier, Switzerland

There is nothing quite like knowing I am about to sup on bourbon barrel aged beers to really put me in the zone. Today, I am about to sup on this bourbony offering from Brasseries des Franches-Montagnes in Switzerland, their Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Ale Grand Cru aged in Bourbon Barrels. Even better, I have awaiting me after this beer is another offering from the Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien; an ale aged in Pinot Noir barrels. Life doesn’t get much better than this.

She fills my eyes with shimmering hues of amber and orange with copper highlights while bubbly lace clings seductively to the sides of my glass. There is a faint haze to her body which in no way deters my nose from taking in every ounce of her heavenly aroma. As my nose dives deep into my glass, I revel in an amazingly complex and exquisitely balanced composition of dry wood, crunchy apples, pears, oranges, cinnamon, and butterscotch. Each measure is steeped in sour, tart delights while I notice a scattered layer of dregs settling into their new home. With a gentle hand and eager lips, I seek to become one with my Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Ale aged in Bourbon Oak. Greeting me first is a clean mouthfeel which immediately leads into subtle notes of bourbon, vanilla, spice, and wood. Grabbing my attention immediately after is a steadily burgeoning presence of sour, mouth-puckering delights which carries me through from start to finish. Apples with skin intact, lemon, and sugared sour candies tease, tingle, and pucker atop my tongue while soothing notes of vanilla and oak offer a comforting balance. As my mouth waters from its drying palate, a subtle earthen essence of wet earth and wood creeps into the background, a further tribute to her bourbon barrels. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it; if you aged it in bourbon barrels, I will drink it. Just please, I want to be able to taste the bourbon along with the beer. The Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes obviously got my memo and has blessed me with their Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru. One last quaff leaves me with vanilla and spice, warmth and oak, tart fruits and sour delights. Heavenly.

Mm… beer aged in bourbon barrels, how I love thee, let me count the ways… yet another excellent addition to my bourbony beer fetish. As I revel in her lingering warmth, I ready to sup of their Pinot Noir barrel offering. Once you go oak, you know.

Reddish brown with not much head. Aromas were fruity tart. Flavors were tart and more wine like sours. Decent bourbon flavor too. Good stuff.

(1.5L, 2007 vintage, bottle #80) Pours a cloudy amber-brown body with no head. Aroma of bourbon, sour cherry, vanilla, vinous, wood, and apple. Flavor of bourbon, funky, and oak.

Courtesy TheCheeseMan. Deep reddish-brown color, very little head. Crisp cut apple aroma, slight sourness, very rich aroma. Light sourness on the taste, hints of vanilla and bourbon in the middle, and some fruitiness on the back end. Subtle bourbon influence does well here, any more and it probably wouldn’t have worked.

Courtesy of bu11zeye. Reddish brown color with a fleeting head. Citrusy tart lemon and cherry aromas with boozy vanilla. Medium body with little carbonation. Tart lemon and sour cherry flavors with a sharp caramel and bourbon vanilla sweetness.

Bottle #038 Poured deep red, more blood red than an actual red ale. Small amount of bubbles surface, no real head, very little carbonation. Smells a little musky, fair amount of oak, green apple. Taste is tart, little bit of apple, vinegar, fairly strong flavor of red wine, very light bourbon notes and oak on the end,

1.5L bottle, forgot to write down the bottle #. Pours a beautiful mostly clear sunset red with zero head. Nose of vinegar, tart cherries, red wine and sweet oak. Flavor also held tart cherries with red wine grapes, vinegar and sweet oak on the finish. Freakin spectacular.

Bottle #080 thanks to bu11zeye. Dark cloudy amber with no head. Aroma is of bourbon, wood, light funk and vanilla. Taste is of funk, bourbon, saurkraut, booze, and wood.