BFM Cuvée du 7ème

750mL, 2006 vintage. Pours a cloudy orangish red with a three finger fizzy light beige head, having only poured 3/4 of 0.3L. Aroma is fairly fruity with some citrus, apple skins, dusty earthy and floral hops. There is also some yeast, spices as well. Initial taste has flowers, dirt and spice. There is a bready character with moderate-high bitterness. Dry finish. Highly carbonated with a medium body. Not really that spectacular.

750 mL bottle from beastiefan2k. This one was a serious gusher. Pours cloudy dark orange, heavy particulate, huge off-white fizzy lasting head, excellent lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (bread, cereal, meal), average hops (herbs, grass), heavy yeast (dough, musty, leaves) with notes of light alcohol, banana, cask and wood. Medium bodied, sticky texture, fizzy carbonation and a bitter finish. Short duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity and heavy bitterness with a salty flavor.

2006 vintage 750 ml bottle poured cold. One of the most over-carbonated beers I have ever seen. I will have lost more than half of the volume before all is said and done. The bottle is currently sitting in the sink less than half full of liquid and yet it is still erupting like a volcano. Totally ridiculous. Murky brown orange body with many, many floaties. Huge fizzy light tan head. The aroma is Herby orange peel aroma. Pretty non-exciting. The flavor is none too good. Acrid burnt coriander wrapped in alcohol and very bitter, but not in a good way. The palate as expected is WAY TOO FIZZY. Undrinkable. This beer holds the distinction of my most expensive drain pour. What a waste.

Unfortunately I served this at cellar temp, undisturbed, and lost the top 1/4th of the bottle due to excessive carbonation. I immediately switched from a triple glass to a dubbel glass hoping that the goblet would help decarbonate the beer somewhat. Even after filling the goblet the CO2 continued to push beer up and out of the neck of the bottle. This was a very hazy beer, most likely from the CO2 pushing the yeast into suspension, orangey amber in color with a rocky, tan, thick head. Juicy malt aroma with strong coriander notes and cooking spices underneath. Flavor has all of the peppery spiciness underneath, the body is a little lean, the juicy malt is there but is understated, and the long, spicy, hoppy, earthy hoppy finish.

Pours dark orange with a ridiculously large light tan head. The aroma is very spicy, earthy, barnyard, sharp fruits and citrus. Medium body with semi-sharp carbonation. The flavor starts sharp, tart, dirty and earthy - very crisp. The finish is sour, spoiled, veggie and spice. For a highly priced and rated biere de garde I expected far far better than this. Very dissapointing.

Bottle. Sour, sweet, fruity and malty aroma with a hint of rag. Rather cloudy orange colour, lots of small floaties. The flavour is sour, but nicely so. The sourness is fruity and yoghurty. The aftertaste reminds me of iron tablets, but I do not suppose vitamins have been added.

A tasty as well as entertaining beer. It’s a slighlty hazed, pale amber brew with a huge beige head that slowly collapses around the sides, then slowly sinks while leaving thick lacing behind. (Back at the 750ml bottle - It slowly erupted continuously so long as there was beer left in the bottle. the bottle filled up with foam, then crept down the bottle’s side. Fun to watch.) Scents of powdery pollen, rose petals, cherries, and dried apples work their way through the dense head. The flavor is a light, spicy malt, fruity, has touches of wood, a cirtic zest bitterness, and a splash of alcohol. Nice dry, somewhat bitter finish. Very, very nice.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=18>Sam’s Wine & Spirits, Chicago, IL<font size=-1>

13.12.06 750ml bottle, 2006 edition. Those who thought their bottle was #276 might like to know that mine is 276 as well, so, I’m just sayin, I don’t think that’s a bottle number. I had much lower expectations of this brew, and I certainly don’t recall enjoying it quite as much in the past as I am enjoying this bottle right here. First of all, it’s beautiful with a giant beige head, clouded amber brown, and sheeting lace. The aromas are the highlight, for sure, with the floral perfumes of both hops and yeast, fresh cut wood, mild citrus, oh my. The body is full, creamy, and coating. It’s especially round and juicy for a BdG, I think, and with bold flavors. There is a distinct, almost methodical progression of intoxicating flavors here -- beginning with soft wood notes, apple skins, and muscat, rounding over the middle with sweet fruits, peach, mild barnyard funk, and earthy hops, and finishing briskly bitter and floral with strong biting citrus and soothing, coating mineral notes. Late and lingering spice notes (clove) are welcome and unexpected. Gorgeous brew. If it was half the price, I’d drink it three times as often.