Pizza Port Cuvee de Tomme

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

2009 Bottle - Thanks JCB! - Pours a ruddy brown with no head...aroma is funky right off the bat, but not brett funky, more like chode funky...it gets better as it warms and becomes a rich, sour bouquet of cherries and cocoa, oak and dark fruit...flavour is full of lemon cherry pucker, vanilla oak phenols and a light delayed malt end note that creeps up...my obtuse human palate is far too ignorant to sense the carbonation, maybe if I was a mole or a shark or some other animal that more closely relies on its senses to live and thrive, but not mine...either way, very tasty stuff...

375 ml acquired via trade from goldtwins. My only 2008 bottle. Pours a murky dark brown, obvious rusty red notes with very small offwhite head that dies to a near nonexistant head, minimal lacing. Aromas are sour cherries, a bit of tartness of the bat, some sweet raisiny dark malts, but sour takes the front seat. Dark fruits, faint brown sugar. Initial is sour cherries, oaky dryness with faint vanilla, light dark fruits that preach tartness over sweetness. Very nice darker sour, flanders style that is subtle yet superbly tart. Alcohol well hidden as a touch of light funk, tart, oaky underlying meld almost perfectly. Decent carbonation, perfect body allow flavor and palate stickability to meld. Dark fruit sweetness and slight darker mellow malt sweetness incorporate into the back of the body. This is a very nice brew, finish leaves a tart and oaky lasting finish.

2009 on tap at Stone Sour Fest 09. Murky dark brown. Heavy on dark fruits (raisins, figs, black cherry) and relatively light on the sour and funk. Sweet for a sour. Looking forward to aging this for a few years, to see what develops. Solid as is.

750ml 2009 bottle. Bottle opens with light pop. Pours very dark brown with a small ring around the glass. Aroma is lightly sour, some fruit and a bit of tootsie roll. Flavor of vanilla, bourbon, caramel, tart cherries, and light bretty notes, maybe a bit of sourness. Some citrus, a bit of oak. Slick mouthfeel with just enough carbonation. Finishes tart. Absolutely stunning, exceptional ale.

Poured slightly flat out the bottle, dark black cherry color with very little head. Smells like 91 octane gas and cherries extremely faint alcohol on the nose. Mouth is full yet light and very dry. Taste is sour with faint chocolate. Sour even on the tip of the tongue. Delicious beer all around, dry and delicious. I will gladly purchase this bottle again...hopefully there’s some left.

This beer had a slightly nutty / fruity aroma that hinted but didnt give anything away. The appearance was dark and semi translucent with a hint of sediment. The flavor was a WONDERFUL suprise. There is a strong nut flavor at the onset followed my a strong citrus lime middle with a fizzy punch.The after taste is a mix of citrus and nuts with a hint of raisin finishing with a slight vanilla. Overall it leaves the palate fairly neutral but exhausted. Each sip brings a cold sweat and sense of wonder.

375 bottle from lost abbey. Brought to Ian’s house for a beer tasting party. Pours a Roasted brown sugar chestnut color with a small brown head. Aroma of sweet cherries and sugar with a hint of wood. Taste of sugar and sour cherries. Pungent nice smooth flavor. Not much vinegar taste like most sours. I really enjoy this sour, probably the best one I have had.

750ml bomber, shared with two friends. Pours dark magenta with almost no head. Aroma is a complex blend of sour cherry, oak, cider vinegar, and fruit peel. Palate is buttery, “oily,” and lightly carbonated, with a mouth-coating finish. Primary flavor was bitter-sour, not sure which was more prominent. Entry features tangy cherry, vinegar, lemon, and oak. Mid-palate adds more bitter citrus peel in the mix, perhaps even some brett. Whatever the components, the heft of this brew is certainly complex. Cuvee finishes with acidity alongside smoke, dark cherry, and bitterness . . . a blend I found a bit on the sharp side. Nonetheless, this is a wonderfully special offering, worthy of a deluxe occasion with fellow craft beer lovers.