BFM Cuvée du 5ème

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

Bottle, 7.5%. Vinous aroma, smells well-lagered. Very dark brown colour. Small stable light brown head. The flavour is roasted and vinous, hint of cream. There is a distinct acidic note, perhaps lactic, a bit like sour malt. Works all right, though, especially considering the age. Tastes all right, but on the other hand, it a bit odd.

33 cL bottle, courtesy of Bov, 2003 bottled. Pours dark black with a small tan to chocolate brown head. Dark malty and winous aroma. Wineous and dark malty flavoured, light fruity note. Lingering hardroasted malty and nice fruity. Still good carbonated. Smooth fruity into the finish with a lingering dark malty base. Lingering mild acidic finish. Old - but certainly still interesting and nice.

Deep black pour. No head. The nose is fairly odd. Lots of burnt rubbery chewy character. A bit of acetone and a heavy solventy nose. Flavour of caraway, roasted malt and burnt rubby. Very oxidized nose with lots of solventy/autolyzed character. Salty with soy and a long rubbery finish. This beer’s good days are all behind it.

Bottled from an awesome trader. Opens with quite a hiss, a lot of carbonation is left. This tastes way older than 6 years; alas, it is not. Aroma is loaded with soy sauce, beef with broccoli, but, unlike some infected American beers I’ve had, the "chinese food" type notes actually work for this one. Kind of salty. I dig it. The flavor is a bit subdued in the middle, but leads with a strong oxidized funk and ends with an actual roasty, dry stouty note than provides a sigh of relief after the intensely oxidized body. I quite like this, though others don’t.

Pours dark brow with a tan head. Smells of cherroes, woody, lactic. Tastes sherry and on the acidic side with some earthy undertones on the finish. This morphed into something nice.

Bottle thanks to mesandsim had at home with them. Alround rating: Awsome stuff, no longer anything like a dry stout, Oxidised, sherry, very reminisant of just being in the Kulminator.

A Mes rate. Bottle thanks very kindly to Alex for this rarity. Dark chestnut brown with a very good tan head. This has aged really well without a doubt. Full of sherry and madeira, plenty caramel, fruity and a little tarty. Slight minty note is the only unpleasant sign of age but it’s faint enough not to spoil it. Luscious mouthfeel. Clean finish. Good stuff. Thanks a lot Alex.

(Bottle 33 cl) Semi-aged sample - bottled in July 2003. Pours a clear, warm mahogany with a reddish hue and a neat, beige head. Actually a surprisingly light body. Very vinous accents - balsamico - reminding me mostly of a Flemish Sour, albeit some lightly burned notes of malt appear in the finish. According to the label it’s meant for cellaring, but I doubt if the acidity is intentional. But generally I find it very lovely. Thanks to Bov for this. 100306