 FlacoAlto (2251), Tucson, Arizona, USA
Aug 12, 2008
A careful pour into my large Tripel Karmeliet tulip produces a two finger thick, frothy, tan colored head. The beer is a very dark, almost black color that has touches of amber and brown to it. When held up to the light the beer shows an opaque, deep haziness, but some reddish-amber hues to it. The beer smells a touch boozy and sort of like a mix between some cherry liquor and Bourbon. This also has a funky, musty sourness to it, a woody mushroom-like note, a damp earthiness and a slight, aged cheese note. A distinct cherry note cuts through the aroma at times and it is backed by a caramelized, almost raisin like flavor. Barrel notes play a big role in the aroma and at times are the dominant note; light vanillin, a touch of buttery oak, some spicy wood notes and an expressive mix of barrel notes and spicy alcohol that contribute a boozy Bourbon note that fills the nostrils.<br /><br />
Sweet impressions at first yield to a much more focused sourness, which still can’t shake a rich raisin note. Towards the middle and into the finish a deeply astringent oak note causes me to pucker more than the not-insignificant sourness (at least at times). A touch of spicy alcohol and spicy wood provides a warm finish that is at times well tempered by flavors of tart cherries that can also linger in the finish. This is definitely a tannic brew as it coats the teeth and mouth just like a strong, black tea does after each sip. A bit of buttery oak mixes with some light funky notes that lean towards musty, cheesy and sweaty gym sox in the finish (though this is not a heavily funky beer). Rich tasting with out being heavy, the combination of the tartness with the medium fullness leaves the perception of a beer that is lighter than it actually is. <br /><br />
After the beer gets quite a bit warmer that nose gets much more boozy, but also starts to pick up some notes similar to cinnamon, licorice and perhaps a bit of jasmine honey. In the flavor some interesting, quite fruity, balsamic notes start to come out as this warms up (the cherry notes definitely accentuated this a bit).<br /><br />
This is quite quaffable, especially I would guess this is at least 10% abv; the nice tartness really helps to make it so, but it still has a richness that makes this a beer to be savored. This is a fantastic blend of beers, it can perhaps be a touch hot at times with Bourbon-like notes of spicy oak and hot alcohol, but even this seems to meld in quite will with the other components of the flavor. Before I know it my 375ml bottle of this is gone; definitely a good sign as beers of this strength don’t leave me wanting any more after this sized bottle. A very good beer that, while it seems to not quite have that essential component to it that would push it into be fantastically incredible, is still a great example of blending as an art.
riversideAK (1948), Shoreline, Washington, USA
Jan 7, 2009 Bottle generously provided to me by after4ever. Thanks Tom! Nice aroma of oak, tart aspects, light funk, some fruity notes, brown sugar. Pours a nice brown color with a great velvety beige head. Flavors are tart and sour up front with lots of oak. This moves into some pleasant fruity notes and more brown sugar. Some noticeable funky notes combine with pleasant barrel sour notes to create a wonderful dry lingering effect on the palate. Maybe a little wine like alcohol, but this one was a nice enjoyable sour.
GeneralGao (2726), Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Jan 7, 2009 Bottle. Thanks for sharing pepsican. Poured an attractive hazy brown color with an off white head. Nice aroma of white wine vinegar, distant cow pasture, and a dash of cinnamon. Light to medium bodied with mild to moderate acidity. The flavor profile included the likes of tart fruits, fig, wine vinegar, and nonspecific spices.
DSG (1020), Yuvalim, Israel
Jan 5, 2009 (10/29/08) Bottle at Valley Brew brewery in Stockton (thanks a lot Mike!). Dark brown color. Aroma of barnyard, malt, some dark fruits notes and caramel hints. Sour flavor with some brett, malt, cookie notes, some berries and other fruit notes. Nice body with quite a bit of carbonation. Some astringency in the aftertaste.
MadMan (481), Tempe, Arizona, USA
Jan 4, 2009 375ml corked bottle. Pours a deep and dark opaque red with short lived cola colored head. Aroma is sour, musty, and cherry and fruit. Flavor is very complex, I couldn’t keep it in my mouth long enough to soak it all in. Initially it hits with a nice sourness and tartness, very like a Rodenbach grand cru, with some hints of fresh cherry and vinegar (possibly malt vinegar as well as balsamic) then blends in with a malty sweetness, possibly lightly cocoa and faintly spicy. It has some funk underneath all the sourness, as well as some woody boozy notes. There was little evidence of alcohol. The finish is delightfully complex, lingering with lots of sour/sweetness, with notes of wood, vanilla, malt, spice, and balsamic. I savored each sip to the fullest, yet my glass was soon empty, and even then I found myself inhaling the remnant aromas coming out of my empty glass and cherishing them. I couldn’t bring myself to rinse it out, the aromas from the empty glass reminding me of the delightfully sour and complex flavors in this one. I can’t wait to have another, I haven’t been motivated to input a rating in some time until this one came along.
MatSciGuy (390), St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Dec 31, 2008 [Bottle] shared by BDR. Pours a clear burnt caramel with a medium beige head that is fairly sticky. Aroma is funk, grapefruit, tart, and some molasses. Flavor is burnt marshmallow, some subtle tartness that builds gradually, and a little bit of darker fruits. This beer is all on the finish. Really not all that impressive, but quite unique and intriguing if nothing else, so it earns some style points there.
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