Cuvee Jeune - The Bruery

johnnieoz

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to CT for providing me with this sample.
NOTE: This review is based on the first (5/19) and second tasting (5/20) from a growler filled this past Saturday (5/16). Have yet to try this totally fresh.

A: Nice hazy, golden hues with a smallish head. Today it's rather flat, but the carbonation was lively when we first popped open this 2 liter jug yesterday.

S: Funky notes with oak, apple and citrus aromas.

T: Very refreshing, tart young lambic. The fact that Cuvee Jeune was aged in chardonnay barrels is apparent and in a good way (not much of a chard fan). Just a hint of wood in there.

M: The carbonation is just right for the style. A light to medium-bodied lambic. The smooth, dry finish is excellent.

D: Ranks high due to its tastiness and 6% abv. Had this with some pasta last night and both my wife and I were most impressed with its pairing potential.

Serving type: growler

05-21-2009 02:10:28 | More by johnnieoz

t0rin0

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

03-01-2013 15:38:01 | More by t0rin0

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -18%

01-12-2012 07:41:33 | More by ygtbsm94

clarkenstein

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

01-08-2012 20:36:25 | More by clarkenstein

shufon

New York

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

12-28-2011 03:33:13 | More by shufon

photomike

California

5/5  rDev +17.1%

12-15-2011 05:03:02 | More by photomike

Jstark5150

California

5/5  rDev +17.1%

11-19-2011 06:27:04 | More by Jstark5150

jerz

California

5/5  rDev +17.1%

11-16-2011 06:11:05 | More by jerz

westcoastbeerlvr

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

11-14-2011 22:32:23 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a little fizzy white head. Good retention. Color is a burnt golden orange.

Aroma: Light. Herbal and floral with wine flavors. Grape and grapefruit both shows. A little sourness and some tart. Oak and dry spice. Very muted.

Taste: Way more tart, but very dry. White grapes. Wine-like. Oaky and spiced. Very basic. Not much here.

Mouthfeel: Dry, sour, and tart. Light bodied with a higher amount of carbonation. Ends clean.

Overall, I wasn't overly impressed with this one. It was light and drinkable, but it just didn't have a lot of flavor. I would however enjoy this on a hot summer day.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2011 17:32:25 | More by mothman

bulletrain76

California

4.1/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Draught at The Bruery's anniversary. Blond color with a white head. Funky, leathery aroma with some yoghurt as well and a sharp tartness. Lightly tart flavor with moderate funk and overall dryness. Pretty straight-forward and not too far from traditional lambic. Not very sour at this point, but it is still pretty young. I could drink this for days; it has a perfect sweet-sour balance for my tastes.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2009 09:56:54 | More by bulletrain76

womencantsail

California

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had been wanting to try this beer for quite some time and I got my shot this past weekend as The Bruery decided to put it back on tap!

A: Cuvee Jeune pours a hazy, light orange-yellow color with no real signs of head or lacing.

S: The nose is full of tart fruit, especially lemons, apples, and (of course) grapes. There is also a quite pronounced Brett (funk) aroma, but not overwhelming in any sense.

T: The taste is very similar to the nose in terms of the tart fruit component; with the grapes and citrus flavors being the most forward. The Brett funkiness is still there and provides a nice level of complexity. There is also a tannic component to this which is probably from a combination of the grapes and the barrels.

M: The tannins and high level of carbonation provide a very dry mouthfeel and finish. I personally enjoy this quite a bit. The body of the beer itself is on the lighter side.

D: The dry feel and intense flavors make this beer very enjoyable to drink. But, after awhile, the tannins start to take a bit of a toll on the palette and so I had to knock a few points off my ranking for that.

Overall: The beer is progressing wonderfully (and from looking at recent reviews, apparently has come quite a way in just a couple months). I hope to have this again (and again), as I find it to be very interesting and quite delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2009 18:42:25 | More by womencantsail

Overlord

California

4.1/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, orange-ish gold. Surprisingly translucent.

Smells interestingly fruity, with apricots, peaches?, and ... lemon. Not much funk in the nose.

Not much funk the flavor either, and the sour is melded nicely with the sweeter fruits. It has a very, very strange vinous character that is unlike the typical, sour/vinegar-y zing. I did some research and found it was aged in Chardonnay barrels. Maybe that was it.

Good, might be interesting to work through a growler or too to focus on the different fruit notes.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2009 06:49:43 | More by Overlord

jgap

California

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed at stone- poured a straw yellow with an easy lace that fades away quickly. Smell is zesty lemon with lots of brett. Taste is citrus lemon peel with a hint of spice (coriander?) that fades to a nice sour brett and a hint of that oak. Yeasty and refreshing. Tastes like a barn-yard grass, hay, and some lactic acid in the finish. Good amount of carbonation. Wonderful dry afertaste. Great beer- I'd like to have it aged.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2009 04:41:12 | More by jgap

HopHead84

California

4.47/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Downtown Johnny Brown's for their Bitter and Sour Night. I enjoyed this one so much that I came back the following night to try it again.

The beer appears hazy yellowish orange with a small white head.

The aroma is of apricots, peaches, white grapes, and wood. Tannins and some musty Brettanomyces are noticeable, as well as a low level of tartness and some sweetness.

The flavor is of white grapes, as well as, peaches, lemons, and apricots. As the beer warms, the tartness becomes more evident, and makes the beer more enjoyable and complex. The Brett imparts low barnyard characteristics, but nothing too funky. Some tannic acid and a little vinegar are present, as well as wood notes. The beer is a little sweet but it's pretty subdued, having more of an affinity for tartness.

The beer is light bodied. Cuvee Jeune is a very well crafted sour from The Bruery, and one I wish they bottled.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2009 00:32:04 | More by HopHead84

bonbini26

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On Cask @ the Blind Tiger 04-24-09

A- Poured into a mug, had a hazy glowing yellow/orange with lingering bubbles, no head
S- Sour, funky, yeasty notes, already smells like a winner
T- Sweet/sour at first then settles down, I think having this on cask is a good way to get someone into Wild Ales, and people who love the funk this one still has it
M- refreshing, smooth, and sour
D- Very easy drinking even though it was from a cask, it was great to drink on a hot day.
Glad to see the Bruery making its way through NYC, another excellent brew from them

Serving type: cask

04-28-2009 12:34:43 | More by bonbini26

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.13/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to my man Richie for the shot to try this.
I will say this is my least fav Bruery beer thus far.
Poured a deep yellow with a small white head. Nose was sour, maybe an apple cider with some lemon rinds. Taste was like a cheap white wine, old apple juice and apple cider with some lemon peel. Mouthfeel was just off, not good, not pleasing. It was more sour than anything.

Serving type: growler

04-26-2009 03:04:52 | More by barleywinefiend

treyrab

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thanks to the man, the myth, the legend Hophead22 for sending me this out here. This is my first Bruery beer, and a dandy it was. Split the growler last weekend with jac5084 and my girlfriend.

A: Poured a semi-hazy glowing yellow with a head as white as can be. Tons of fizzy carbonation flowing up the glass to retain the perfectly sized head. The beer laces slightly.

S: Wow. Tons of cheese funk, lemon rinds, lemon juice, white grapes, pepper spices and light fruits (orange mostly). Smells like one wild-ass beer.

T: Incredibly deep in flavor with a significant amount of funk qualities. Sour lemon rinds, cheese, nice horseblanket, dry chardonnay and oak. Extremely flavorful.

Overall, this beer is an incredible wild ale. Right up there with my favorites that are Isabelle and Beatification. Very flavorful, but very drinkable.

Serving type: growler

04-20-2009 23:35:02 | More by treyrab

blackie

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a: no head to speak of, served in a handled mug, the beer is a hazy chestnut brown

s: pungent sour dominates a dry wheat malt body, a range of underripe fruits, tart green apple, pear, lemon, fresh and bright chardonnay, mild oak, cider vinegar

m: not sure this style translates perfectly to cask, as the delicate carbonation found in many examples of the style really make the mouthfeel for me, here the carbonation is nearly nonexistent, light-medium bodied

t: puckering apple vinegar sour upfront, full of green apple pulp and various light fruits, lemony citric acid and a refreshing white wine snap, any malt sweetness has been almost completely converted by the brett, leaving only delicate wheaty flavors in its wake

d: the refreshing sour makes for a refreshing drink, a totally complex and engrossing experience

mug at the Blind Tiger, NYC

Serving type: cask

04-18-2009 14:33:33 | More by blackie

FtownThrowDown

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Very generously shared by Shane(Beachbum). Thanks again man!
Pours a cloudy light yellow in color. Carbonated bubbles race up the glass and gather on top of the beer. No head to really speak of. Smell is tart.
Wow! What flavor this has. This is among the most sour, mouth puckering beer that I've had. And yes I'm looking at you Mr. Beatification. This is just an onslaught on the mouth. Very tart and very beautiful. Some lemon and citrus undertones with all the sour goodness.
Holy hell this is one mighty fine beer. Very glad I had the chance to try this one.

Serving type: growler

04-12-2009 15:05:26 | More by FtownThrowDown

beachbum1975

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First things first... Big shout out of thanks to errantnight for running to the Bruery and snagging me a mighty growler of this a short time ago... I would have shared it sooner, but I've been helping my amazing wife recover from surgery and haven't had an opportunity to entertain. Thanks again for the trade, Derek!

Shared with pwoods, DrewOSU and newtonty tonight - reviewed on the fly. 64 oz brown growler reminiscent in style to Russian River's growlers.

Pours a semi-bright brass color with hints of orange. Slightly cloudy (reminiscent of how Cable Car looked, actually!). Light, creamy white head leaving a handsome, big bubbled foam halo around the edges of my over-sized Duvel tulip.

Very big nose o' funk here! At first, I got some moldy cheese, gym socks and vinegar, but as it rested in my glass, a sweet and sour twang of lemon popped up. This think smells like a (controlled) infection or funk infestation in a bottle - nice!

As expected, very light bodied and thin at times. Sour lemons, big foam, light citrus and some yeasty breadiness all in a crisp little package. It was actually a bit light in the flavor department in contrast to the nose.

Nice, but I wish the flavor was a tad bigger. Very nice example for it's style nonetheless and I am glad I finally had the opportunity to try a Bruery beer!

Serving type: growler

04-09-2009 22:42:25 | More by beachbum1975

pwoods

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Shane(beachbum1975) for sharing this.

A: A pale golden yellow pour with good clarity. Decent head with a little bit of retention before dieing. Not much lacing.

S: Very funky and very stinky. Gym sock, moldy cheese, and a touch of cider vinager. Sourness is in a second role. A bit of lemon in the back.

T/M: Plenty of funk but not nearly as much as in the nose. Lots of sourness and barnyard funk. Still enough funk to say gym sock. Sharp cheese. Light tart fruits, green apples and lemon. Body is light with nice carbonation. Somewhat dry finish which is surpising that it's not higher.

D: Pretty drinkable especially for all the funk. 6% helps, too.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2009 22:40:14 | More by pwoods

DrewOSU

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks to beachbum1975 for sharing this with me.

A: Pours a clear, washed out yellow, with a tiny bit of bright white head. Lacing is minimal to none, falling down the glass on the initial pour.

S: HUGE NOSE! Full barnyard effect. Smells like wet hay, wrapped in a horse blanket. A little overwhelming for my unsophisticated pallet. Makes me a little intimidated to try it.

M/T: Light mouth feel, lots of carbonation biting on the tongue. Huge lemon and tart on the tongue. Feels like I am drinking two different beers from the nose. Tastes nothing like it smells. Dry, clean and tart. Goes down easy. Tastes fresh, bold and biting.

D: Easy drinking if you can get past the nose. Very nice.

Serving type: growler

04-09-2009 22:34:47 | More by DrewOSU

OlieIPA

California

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Devoured this tasty beverage at the Bruery with Aimstatus; poured into a tulip glass.

A: Not too much head...which I come to expect with this style, along with a nice and crisp looking burnt orange/honey hue. Carbonation was clearly visible as well.

S: An immediate funky/tart/sourness was picked up in the aroma with slight hints of green grapes and/or grapefruit.

T: Not necessarily a pucker...but the initial sip made my tongue sort of cramped up...I know that sounds weird, but that's how it was. LOL. Anyways, once my palate got adjusted to this AWA, the tart quality seemed to balance out with the citrus fruits.

M: Medium to light body beer (which was perfect considering it was 2 pm and sunny in Southern California) with perfect carbonation. The feel may have been a little soapy, but it may have also helped the tart flavor calm down a bit.

D: An absolute delight! What I expected when ordering this beverage and the 6% ABV makes it real easy to drink.

Overall: Probably my favorite "Bruery" beer to date and a must try by all BA's. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2009 23:05:34 | More by OlieIPA

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at The Bruery tasting room on 3/21/09. Served in a tulip glass.

Pours a hazy golden orange with a thin wispy brite-white head. Retention is good, firing up nicely around the edges, leaving back some decent looking foamy lacing. Probably about as good of a look as your going to get out of a barrel-aged Lambic. The aroma is quite deep smelling, with a robust combo of oak and funk. Tart and fruity citrus notes (I'm assuming from the chardonnay character) and a more lighter tone of acetic acid rounds out the profile.

The fruit flavors come out even more in the taste, with spice and tart flavors of lemons, oranges, and grapes all standing out. This quickly blends in some funky lactic sour character and oaky notes. Like a good Lambic does, this evens out nicely as it warms, with the lactic and acetic aspects of this becoming less sour and more tart as I work through the glass. Finishes with lingering tartness and a light dryness from the chardonnay. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a lower carbonation to it and a slippery and almost vinous feel in the mouth. This feels pretty spot on.

Very nice. The thicker body and sourness were a little tough to get through at first but then this opened up nicely as it warmed. I really like what the chardonnay aspects of this brought to the table, adding some fruity flavors and dryness to the profile. I love what they are doing at this place!

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2009 11:57:24 | More by Kegatron