Pizza Port Cuvee de Tomme

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

Dark mahoganey, no head. Excellent whiskey / cherry wood aroma. Taste is strong sour woody alcohol which cuts off into a sweet malt yeast that balances the sour perfectly. 2009 lost its mojo. Still solid though

’08 bottle as an extra thanks to kegbear!
Purple-sepia with a bubbly cream head that needed some coaxing. Nose is incredible with a nuanced yet coherent blend of Flemish Sour notes and Strong Ale sweetness: oak, vinegar, plum, and chocolate are married to rich cranberry, cherry, and brown sugar. Flavor has grape skin, cherry, slightly acidic (more vinegar), strong barrel and sugar in the finish with more grape and cherry, minor brett. Though the flavor is complex like the nose, it’s not nearly as coherent, and some of the acid feels harsh against sweet, sugary fruits. Another problem is the high alcohol, which becomes quite noticeable with warmth. Full bodied, perhaps to a fault, and slightly drying but lengthy bitter oak finish. Very good stuff, the balance in the nose being among the most remarkable I’ve sniffed. It’s definitely better a little chilled before the alcohol makes its heavy presence known, but all around, this is terrific! Think Earthmonk with more fruit and less vinegar.

375ml ’08 bottle. Mostly clear burgundy with a little, wispy head. Aroma of black cherries, balsamic vinegar, oak, brett and faint vanilla and licorice. Hugely vinous taste; smacks of tart cherries and aging wood. Alcohol is non-existent except for the warming feeling. Very dry throughout. The dark fruit taste seems to come out as it warms. Very complex. This is truly an amazing beer, and many thanks to (the) Tomme for the Sinner’s club.

I really enjoyed this, the bourbon and fruit notes made a really nice backdrop for the sour, astringent funkiness.

2008 Bottle in a DLD trade from KP. Brown pour with a thin head at the edges of the glass. Aroma is tart with cherries, raspberries, wood, bourbon, green grapes and maybe some hints of lemon. Flavor is tart, but not overly sour. I certainly get sour cherry, bourbon, vinegar, and maybe a tiny, tiny hint of the raisins. Very good and very fun to drink.

Botella. Deep dark red-brown colour with a nice hue. Spiced , dark fruity, cherry pleasant sour aroma with bourbon. Very good pleasant mouthfeel. Dark fruity, soft sweet raisins, bitter, spiced, sour pleasant flavour. Sweet dark fruity sourish spiced and bitter finish.

Bottle. No head. Just a thin rim. Pitch black. Cherries cocoa burbon wood aroma. Vineous burbon cherries sour flavor with little hops bitterness. Could not taste the raisins. Low carbonation, long aftertaste.

Sampled at Beerhawk’s Beer Gods in the Boro, aka 1000 Bottles of Beer on the Wall, By God Beer God Gathering, BG1K Tasting. Hazy brown pour with lots of floaties and good tan head. Very vinous smelling, like red wine. The tart cherry flavor was certainly not my thing, but it was great for what it was. Medium carbonation. I really liked the breast cancer angle. Very cool to save the boobies while drinking a beer!