Lost Abbey Cable Car

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Sour Ale
San Marcos, California USA

At the Toronado grand opening party, they had some bottles for sale. It was surreal. I wasn’t really sure if I was looking at them, and if they were really for sale. I asked a couple of people how much they cost, and they were guessing $60-$100, cash only. I had $40, so I unpatiently waited to see someone who I knew who might chip in. I asked how much, and it was only $50, so I asked the guy sitting next to me (turned out to be carnevoodoo, from BA) if he would chip in $10. He said yes, and also bought a pint of Abyss for me. Thanks Derrick! Wow. So now I have a huge bottle of cable car sitting in front of me. When you are used to small tasters, glass after glass of a super rare beer is almost indescribably awesome experience. There was even enough to give large samples to the John, Christian, the bartender, etc. I even finished the last sample from the bottle. Oh the horror! Yellow amber color. Mild sour aroma. Maybe a hint of acetic acid. Flavor is delicious and the sourness is mellow and insanely easy to drink. Perfect palate. It would be wonderfully easy to drink in large quantities with meals. Not as sour as a gueuze. The sourness reminds me of orangina, even though they are nothing alike. Delicious!

Bottle shared among friends at Dr. Bill’s, thanks again Doc... As for the beer, subtle is an understatement. This beer takes delicate to a whole new level, but if you give it enough attention, great flavors present them self. Awesome but subtle acidity, light lemon rind tartness, and just an elegant presentation of light funk and citrus sweetness. When compared to the true gueuzes, this falls short as it’s not as bright, funky, or consuming as the Cantillon/3F lambics, but Cable Car is very good.

Thanks to cquiroga and Dr. Bill for sharing. This pours a bright yellow with a white head. If sour is your thing, this is it. lots of fruity sourness.

5th Beer of the Beer Spot Tasting Sunday March 30th, 2008. Bottle provided by KingG, many thanks Joey. I’ve wanted to try this for so long and I’ve got to say it was damn good. Pours orange/yellow with a bright white ring. Nose is huge and sour with a fruity grapefruit feeling. Taste is big on the citrus and grapefruit particularly. Its sour but refined with a fruit up front feeling and sour on the back end. Very mellow, very good, a mellow tasty sipper. Really very nice good, fruity sour.

Amazing brew from Tomme and also thanks to Christian. The appearance wasn’t important to me, I do know what it looked like but the nose coming from the glass as I held it to my nose made me almost forget where I was and what was going on around my even tho’ I was in the midst of the din from the brewery and the bar tasting area. I just could not get that darn glass away from my nose. Sour green apples but so much more. The funk, ahhh, the funk. I savored this and sipped it for a long time and I was actually sad when the glass was empty but felt very gratefull when I heard Tomme say that it was the best brew he has ever done. Simply an amazing brew.Thanks again to Tomme and to you Christian for a great evening.

I’ve been looking forward to a bottle after having this on tap back at the Toronado 20th. Pours a hazy golden color with a tight head. Complex nose with light fruit pushing through funky earthiness. Flavor is more sour than the tap version I recall having previously - still a moderate sourness with some lighter fruit flavors - apples, citrus, some berry notes pushing past the earthy funk - some mineral notes as well. Balanced finish that could be drier. Very enjoyable!

A huge thanks to Tomme for this one! Pours light gold and very cloudy. Small white micro bubble head. Sour funk and horse blanket in the nose. Apple, grass stinky cheese and lemon. Wow there is a lot going on in the smell. I could smell this all day. First taste is subdued sour with a little bit of bread and yeast. As I move this around in my mouth, it opens up and reveals a nice mellow sour lemon. A little bit of earthy mildew, grassy notes and light sugar come through. You can feel the Amigo lager in there! This is a very complex and subtle beer that if tasted in the right situation, will blow you away. Not over the top but so complex. I am glad to have had the chance to try this and also be able to share this with a few people. I look forward to this beer with a few years on it!

Poured from a 750 ml bottle, thanks to Zac. Murky, glowing orange pour with a thin white film. Wild, pungent, noxious aroma of compost, molded grass, wet carpet, quickly giving way to a pithy fruitiness of mango skins, white grapes, and pears. Lots of mineral like tartness, wallpaper glue and quiet earthiness that brings some maple and honey sugars. Unique and reserved, with broad character. Flavor is slightly quiet, but not tepid; white grape notes of buttery Chardonnay and earthy Sauvignon Blanc, with hints of floral honey, apples, and pineapple. Crisp and intricate, but still robust. Plenty of lactic, slightly sweet oak that provides a perfectly played counterpoint to the already well-bridled tartness. Tea leaves, white pepper, and lots of honey and milk in the mid palate. Palate is velvety, slightly chewy, and soft; finishes with a bright pineapple and guava sweetness, very tropical, rubbing away with a funky dust of irish white cheddar settling on the back of the tongue. A brilliantly balanced sour; acidic and lactic, smartly sour, and rounded with the right presence of sweetness. Highly complex and very sophisticated.