Valley Brew Decadence Grand Cru 2007

Formerly brewed at Valley Brewing Company
Style: Sour Ale
Stockton, California USA

Nose of a soft Rodenbach grand cru and La Trappe Quad all warapped up in a nice candy and bret coated shell or tortilla depending on where you come from. Big, rich and complex palate that dances between the malt of the base brew and the wonderful tart depth of the Pomegranate lambic style. A beer that defies description and blurs the boundary of style.

The more I drink this work of art, the more I considerate as one of the best lambics I’ve ever tasted. It has a great crisp slightly sour Pomegranate nose.The color is a beautiful light brown with a slight red hue. The flavor is a perfect the Quad and Pom. It has a slightly sour kick but is so well balance that you just want more and more and .....

Steve has definitely made his White Album with this one. Creatively spectacular, and enjoyable to the nth degree his Grand Cru is just oustanding. Aroma is sour cherries, some brett, malty sweetness and light fruitiness. Flavor is just strong enough to remind you there’s some punch, but light enough to enjoy the complexity of this beer. A tart, crisp, refreshing beer that is just amazing at 12%. Words don’t do it justice. Well, at least my words don’t.

This is another wonderful flemish sour. Lightly carbonated brown beer. Medium palate. Wonderful cherry flavored with a light cherry aroma. It has a nice tart flavor without being overpowering. Great beer.

Hand bottled from tap, this Flemish Sour pours a reddish brown color from the bottle. Medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is malty and sour fruit. Medium bodied Flemish Sour. Malts are fruity and sweet. Tart and crisp. Complex beer, there is a lot going on here, the interplay between the tartness of the pomegranates and the maltyness of the quad is amazing. As big and complex as this beer is, the flavors are rather subtle and delicate. This is definitely a sour Flemish ale and yet it has a nice malt backbone. Hides the 12% alcohol very well. Crisp and tart. Amazing beer. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and crisp. Aftertaste is tart and sour.

Bottle thanks to Stoutlover72, and Steve I’m sure...Thanks to both of you for this incredible beer! The aroma of this brew is truly decadent and is a fine indication of the wonderful taste that follows. Malts, toffee, light sour scents all mix to create a pleasing nose. The appearance is golden brown with a thin head. The palate is full, carbonated perfectly and really pleasing to the tongue. On to the taste, which is even better than expected. First comes the great toffee and light sour mix as expected from the aroma foreshadowing, but then a hint of alcohol, and some light fruits--grapes, raisins. What I really appreciate about this flemish sour is that the malts haven’t dissapeared like they sometimes do in others of this style. Very complex brew, wonderfully made. Kudos to Steve for a fantastic creation.

On tap at Stone’s Sour Fest 2008. Wow. Excellent. Probably my favorite of the fest. Cloudy amber color. Sweetish. Mild sourness. Nice bite on the finish. Thicker body.

Nip bottle @ Valley Brewing poured a lightly hazy golden brown with a minimal amber head. Aromas of citrus, peack, orange and carmel. Palate was light bodied dry and slightly tart. Flavors of carmel, orange, lemon, apricot and some brett notes with a crisp lingering lightly tart fruity finish. A very complex yet well balanced beer, truly amazing!