 boboski (1095), USA
Dec 31, 2007 Updated: Jan 8, 2008
Three vintages sampled side-by-side on New Year’s Eve 2007. Most notably - as well as immediately evident - is the fact that the 2006 vintage that was released 6 months prior to sampling has yet to reach complex heights of development. This will surely change and is just one more of the many profound reasons to revisit all of these at multiple later dates.
2004. 10/5/10/5/19
Pours heavily clouded deep orange with murky rust and wood tones. A mid-sized, creamy light beige head slowly recedes, never fully. Wispy arc lacing, minor. Brettanomyces is a sub-particle of a candied shell that is so relentless in its continual development that proper critical assessment would be a truly monumental feat. Highly sweet caramel and linear shoots of barnyard funk merge and correlate with bold and heavy leather. Candi sugar-soaked fruits laced with hallugenogenic alcohols swirl wildly out of control. Red wine with requisite tannic spice tickles cilia while vanilla oak notes play the role of immovable backbone and nuance separator. A truly phenomenal break from the ordinary. Brett tartness is full bore and as refreshing as can be while still retaining a funkiness that never seems anything less than novel when this brewery struts its stuff. Sweetness is high but not overdone, vinous flux is minimal as tannic grape and barrel fold into each sip with ease. Acidity is medium but stifled by a refreshing astringency and spice from tannins. Sourness is moderate and wavering. The finish is slowly drying, ultimately extremely dry, very winelike and moderately tart and funky. The mouthfeel has medium-high carbonation and is a silken joy to swirl around an eager tongue.
2005. 9/4/8/4/17
Pours a murky mahogany with crimson and blood-red/violet outlying hues. A small off-white head slowly diminishes, nearly fully, to wisps. Dotted sheet lacing, sparse and thin. Heavy funkiness and lively and acid-brimming tartness from Brettanomyces leads the propulsion of intensity from the most vivid and focused of the three vintages. Sweet port notes are syrupy, full and intelligently wrought. Earthiness is strong but creates a relaxing backdrop. Alcohol is moderate and well-integrated. Earhiness is substantial and never lets up, Brettanomyces and tartness downgraded to a mild to medium level. Barnyard funkiness and traces of characteristics of open fermentation and the transfer of the angel’s share are evident in retrained quantities. Sweetness is medium and when combined with a moderate acidity and low astringency leads to a smooth and mellow finish. Earth, light tartness and slow drying emerge in a transcendental finale. The mouthfeel is softly and moderately carbonated, creamy, medium bodied and lightly sticky and tannic.
2006. 8/5/8/4/16
Pours a hazy dark amber, burned reds within. A mid-sized off-white/cream colored head slowly and mostly dissipates. Dot and arc lacing is miniscule. Tropical fruit streams from the vessel, a powerhouse that is awash with lively young funk that seems to have yet to reveal its true intentions. Vinous notes are lesser than older vintages and subdued by cream sensations. Alcohol is brash and unmanaged, yet to settle into a complacent complimentary role. A mustiness that must(no pun intended) fade into eloquence with a long slumber in this glass keepsake is a surprise upon first sip. Sweetness is low-medium to medium and fruitiness remains heavy but doesn’t succeed in sugary aspirations. Acidity is chunky and fueled by light acetic quirks. Alcohol is signifigantly warming. The finish is semi-sweet and succinct, tannins finally revealing peppery spiciness. Woodiness is very forceful and certainly the most evident at this young age. The mouthfeel is moderately carbonated and medium bodied, agreeably smooth and certifiably younger than desirable for most enjoyable consumption.
ScoWRee (222), Phila, Pennsylvania, USA
Oct 5, 2008 ours a nice dark brown, cola color, with a thick tan foamy head. Aroma of raisins, plums malt. Taste is tart, cherries, apples.and oak. It doesn’t have a very sour taste though. This is very intresting.....
douglas88 (806), Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Oct 4, 2008 2002 edition drank October 2008 with a big thanks to hopdog. I reallly loved the regular so I was anticipating the reserva for sure. My 800th rating. Pours a a large and thick beige head on top of a reddish-brown body. The aroma was instantly noticed as more sour than the regular version; lots of sour cherries and tons of woody notes. Some light candies and chocolates too. The taste was great; a initial smooth and mellow sour woody and tart cherry flavors. The sweet candy and ripe fruits come out later, especially as it warms. The six years in bottle plus the barrel aging has mellowed this considerably, and the alcohol is only hinted at in a pervasive warmth. A real treat for sure.
JB175 (1356), Holland, Pennsylvania, USA
Sep 30, 2008 2005 bottle. Brownish color with a medium off-white head. Aroma has some light sugar and vinous notes with lots of woody/barrel/tartness that is very inviting. Flavor has some nice vinous/wine barrel/oak flavoring with some brown sugar, raisins, and tartness. Smooth, tart, rich feel. Really nice - a quality sourish Belgian strong that is nothing but delicious.
jcr (848), Jasper, Indiana, USA
Sep 28, 2008 Bottle. Brewed 2006, bottled June, 2007. Fizzy off-white lasting head atop a hazy brown body. Complex set of aromas and flavors. Atop notes of cherry, raisin, plum, grape juice, alcohol and toffee is oak wood. The flavor is moderately acidic and moderately sweet. The finish is moderately sweet and lightly bitter. Flavors of vinegar and wood. Very tart/sour at the end along with alcohol warming. Medium body with a watery, fizzy texture. Lively carbonation. Reminds me of a sour abbey quad because underneath the sour finish are all the flavors of the quad — the overripe fruits, especially.
MrChopin (200), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Sep 28, 2008 Ruby-brown with a standard de dolle sized head--large and creamy-- yellow-white, short lived. Tart, sour nose echoes the regular Oerbier, also shows a lot of sweet malt and hints of milk chocolate: odd yet delicious combination, especially with warmth. Flavor continues this combo and is creamy with chocolate while simultaneously spicy and resinous, almost pine-like, rainy. Body is large yet spritzy, quite carbonated in fact. This is an odd beer, even more odd than the original Oerbier, and while I enjoy the uniqueness and complexity, the beer seems a sum of parts, especially the slightly contradictory flavor.
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