Lost Abbey Orphan Annie

Tasting notes from BBF 08. Pour is hazy, brown with ruby highlights peeking through, nice fluffy off-white head. Nose is vinous - sour cherries and red grapes, bit of dry barnyard, with a subtle vanilla bourbon note peeking through. Taste is rich up front, dark fruits and brown sugar, slightly sweet, with a finish that lets the dry earthy character promised in the nose come out alongside the soft bourbon note as well. Wow. Sublime.

(Draught) Pours hazy amber body with a small off-white head. Aroma of sour cherries, vinous, raisins, light horse blanket, wood, light cheese, and some herbal notes. Flavor is sour, funky, and some vinous with a dry barrel finish. Excellent!

Samples at BBF 08. Should be listed as a sour ale. Pours a nice hazy woody amber with ruby highlights, nice carbonation, good head and some lace. Aroma is vinous, cherry-pit, sweetish, light sherry, black cherry skin, earthy red wine, very light bourbon and some light woodiness- slight aceitic- flemish red nose as well. Sweetish flavor but dries out in the end, some woodiness, light bourbon yet smooth, cherry pit and toasted almond, nice red wine acidity and some nice fruitiness. Smooth as hell mouthfeel, nice light astringency and good restrained smooth acidity and a long lasting finish. Probably the highlight of the fest along with Peter’s latest La Folie release. Actually the blend of Annie and La Folie was the best.

Sample @ BBF ’08, Boston. WOW. Pours a deep reddish-brown with a nice off-white head. Aroma is dark fruit, malt, candy sugar, and slightly detectable wood notes. Taste is the same, with the beer remaining deceptively smooth and sublimely drinkable. This might have been my favorite of the entire festival, and it’s a long home run for The Lost Abbey.