Livery Barrel Aged Maillot Jaune

Brewed by The Livery
Style: Sour Ale
Benton Harbor, Michigan USA

[Draft @ Livery] Poured a hazy golden color with a medium sized white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of brett, honey, vanilla, toasted malt, grapes, leather, and citrus fruits. Taste of citrus fruits, apple, tart grape, vanilla, toasted oak, wild yeast, and a dry, tart, finish. What a surprise, this was the best beer of my trip.

Growler, courtesy of BBB63. Thanks, Mike! Pours a pulpy, tarnished copper-brown color; significant, creamy light khaki head with excellent retention and fine-bubbled lacing; gorgeous, glistening pour. Lots of tart grapefruit, pitty and acidic lemons, and bright, tart fruit character in the aroma; reminds me quite a bit of some of the characteristics of the BA Agent 99; gorgeous grapefruit and zesty lemon and lime peel; touch of toasty wood presence; really great nose on this. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: lots of pitty, zesty citrus (lemons, grapefruit) upfront; solid levels of acidity; tartly sour; very dry at the core; some toastiness and vinous notes (mildest tannic presence) from the wood; incredibly generous, zesty, pitty, dry sour ale. Another great barrel-aged offering from The Livery; assertively sour; I could (and desperately wanted to) drink a ton of this. Lengthy finish: dry, pitty grapefruit and lemons, dry crackery malts, some soft toastiness and vinous acidity from the barrel; just excellent.

Tap at brewery: Hazy golden hue with a frothy head and clingy lace. The aroma is fruity like blackberry and white grape instead of Merlot. Bready pale malts, hint of oak, and grassy notes from the dry hopping also noted on the nose.

The taste starts with a moderate sour and tannic overtone with a light red grape character. Balanced by soft grains and a touch of whispery bitterness. Earthy yeast notes as found within. The mouth feel is VERY REFRESHING and oh so SESSIONABLE!, crisp and lively.

IMO this is close to a world-class beer where the barrel really adds to the basic beer. Reminded me a bit of an Orval, but not quite that either... I DIG THIS, IT ROCKS!

Fresh Growler from the Brewery via my man in IN, Mike BBB63. Shared with bikesandbeer and my gf Cyn. Pours orange with a nice bright white half finger head. Big tropical citrus nose, lots of orange tangarine in there. Nose has a mango character, my girlfriend did a good job catching this note and describing it the way we couldn’t. Taste is sweet some what tart, I can feel a bit of the wine influence, its pretty unique and interesting. Really light and summery, great beer. I’d drink this all the time if I could. Yum. Also this is such a great slight sour that serves as a great overall beer.

On tap at the brewpub. First beer of the day on a long day of great beers. Poured a hazy yellow. nice musty and dry fruit nose. Taste is light fruit, dry and acidic, nice funk and earthy balance. I didn’t have too much of this one, but I wish I had more, this was refreshing and really enjoyable.

Growler shared by kmweaver. Beautiful hazy honey colored body with a large off-white head. Nose of deep, yeasty creamed oranges, tannic pinot noir barrels - a nice note of wine grapes... wonderfully dry and fruity in the nose. Flavor is massively dry and tannins, strange, complex, with a strong white wine character, some cracker malts, medium to full body. Really unique and creative beer. Prickly, lightly tart, overall just very impressive.

Tap at MBGSF 08. Pours a golden color with a small white head. Aroma is funk, vineous, grass. Flavor is grass, lemon zest, oak, vineous, light fruit. Palate is medium to light, medium carbonation, finished tart. Great stuff, I had about 4 samples of this, thanks BBB63 for the generous pours!!

On tap at the brewpub. Pours a hazy yellowy brown with a white even head. Sharp tangy nose. bone dry with some fruity esters, though nothing too crazy. Full smooth creamy, higher carbonation mouthfeel. Bone dry! Almost completely lacking any residual sugars. A bit fruity. Very tannic. The oak yeilded no vanilla, but lots of tea. Extremely refreshing, what a delight!