Collaboration Series: Marrón Acidifié - The Bruery

Auracom

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First beer of the night for KBS Day 2012. Thanks to Dan for sharing! Bomber poured into a tulip on March 9th, 2012.

A - Pours a cloudy toffee-brown. Minimal white bubbles cling to the glass with no significant retention or lacing.

S - Big oak barrel, wood grain, some dark fruit sharpness, a hint of spices, and balsamic vinaigrette.

T - Soft leather leads into a biting sourness. Back end dark fruit and further vinegar.

M - Light body, fair carbonation, somewhat smooth throughout the drink, quite dry finish.

D - I think the drink needed a bit more complexity but otherwise, this one was pretty spot-on for my expectations. Decent stuff and a good starter for the bottle sharing.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 03:27:46 | More by Auracom

brystmar

New York

3.15/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Shared 3 ways. Murky, muddy, ugly pour that fits the style. Malty, funky, sour aroma. Dirty.

Tons of oak dominates the flavor. Overpowers the funky yeast & sourness. Doesn't fit the style as much as I'd like, but then again nothing seems up to snuff anymore after having Barrel Select. Lingering bitterness is unpleasant. Seriously though, way too much oak & barrel character.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 03:18:59 | More by brystmar

andrewinski1

Maine

3.85/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip. the color is dark amber/brown. There is a half inch bubbly tan head.

The aroma is tart plum.

The taste is perfectly balanced between mildly sweet malt and fruity tartness. The start is mellow, finishing tart. There is a mild vinegar flavor to go with the tart finish.

The body is light to medium, with medium soft carbonation.

This is pretty good; one of my favorite oud bruins.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 05:13:31 | More by andrewinski1

beerpirates

Belgium

4.23/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle poured into my cantillon tulip glass

A- Pours murky muddy brown with a pretty small white head and just some big bubbles around the sides of the glass. Splotchy lacing but nothing crazy.

S- Funk/brett create a nice sour tart notes with hints of dark cherries and fruits as well as a good amount of vinegar. Also some nice vanilla notes from the oak but nothing crazy.

T- Tart cherries and funk from the brett with a strong balsamic vinegar like flavor. Nice hints of sweet vanilla and oak that blend really nice with the overall flavor and some acidic qualities as well

M- Medium bodied with moderate carbonation and a nice tart and sour finish but nothing to crazy. Very well balanced.

Very nice brew !

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 20:32:38 | More by beerpirates

Proteus93

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I have meant to try this beer for far too long, but I think the price turned me off for some time... especially when I had a number of Flemish Red and Oud Bruins that satisfied me already.

A: Deep brown and quite hazy. The head topping is quite sparse and dwindles away to very little in no time. A second fill does leave a collar of lace behind.

S: There's no hiding that there's acetic acid here... the beer just smells of some sourness, and that's quite promising. A little musty--some damp wood, perhaps, and I swear I pick up on something slightly citrus-like. I know it's not dish-soap because I hand wash these glasses myself, and don't use any aromatic soaps for cleaning!

T: It's certainly tart... a nice blend of that vinegar flavour with some yeasty funk and just a hint of fruitiness. This sets it aside from many others... often, there's a strong note of 'sour cherry,' and this beer is more earthy and musty. Slighly leathery. I'd go so far as to say that it leans towards lambic qualities.

M + D: Nice and tart... enough to bring out a bit of pucker from time to time. It has a character unique enough that it stands out from others, without straying too far from the style. I would be very curious to try this beer without the oak aging, as I don't think it really added much.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 04:16:29 | More by Proteus93

Dope

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A: A reddish-brown pour, with a very small tan head. Small film never really seems to go away though. Spotty lacing.

S: Can smell this one across the room. Vinegar and tart cranberry/raisin. Lots of leather, caramel and brown sugar. Quite pleasant really.

T: Very puckering. Strong leather abound. Vinegary. Tart cranberries. Lots of oak, almost overpowering. Hints of soy sauce.

M: Medium bodied, very sour and drying.

O: I gave it my best shot but the taste is just plain unpleasant. Tastes like a good beer gone bad. I'm sure lots of people like the style but this one was a drainpour.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 05:45:37 | More by Dope

nataku00

California

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

On tap poured into a tulip glass. Beer pours a dark brown with a bit of haze so it is nearly opaque. Thin off white head leaves a little lacing as you drink from it. A few bubbles visible at the edge of the glass floating up.

Nose is sour apple cider vinegar, dark fruits like cherry and plums, brown sugar, and a touch of spiced rum booze.

Taste starts with sour fruit vinegar, apples and dark fruit sweetness following along with the brown sugar and caramel malt flavors. Finish is warming, lightly spicy with cinnamon and clove with some residual sour fruit flavors.

Medium body with some moderate carbonation that lightly tickles the tongue. Decent amount of alcohol integrated into the flavor but I did start to feel it after getting through the glass.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2012 08:20:52 | More by nataku00

UCLABrewN84

California

4.3/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to ehammond1 for sharing this one at MrHirschybar's place!

Pours a murky brown with a tan head that settles to a film on the top of the beer. Small dots of lace stick to the glass on the drink down. Smell is of sour fruits, funk, and some vinegar notes. Taste is the same with very nice funky and sour flavors. This beer has a light level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer and I am very happy I finally got to try it.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 21:59:03 | More by UCLABrewN84

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.18/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

pours a deep brown and ruby, a bit more brown. light creamy yet frothy head.

deep sour cherry and old smoked wood. hints of tobacco and leather.

more sour up front and tart in the back. the brown ale is very apparent through out this. the sour brown really shows. the deep cherry molds with the sour brown body with some added tobacco and oak.

body has a mild carbonation with a light feel. for 8.5%, this comes off light. slightly dry.

pretty decent, does not appear to be an "imperial" but very solid.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 00:48:06 | More by hooliganlife

oline73

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I reviewed this as a part of the a blind BIF

Here goes the last bottle. #12 is a 750 ml bottle. Poured into a snifter.

A: This beer pours a dark reddish brown with a layer of off white head that goes away quickly. Not much light coming through this beer at all. 4

S: We have a sour beer. Sour with a good amount of sweet malt to back it up. There is some dark fruit along with vinegar. There maybe some other fruit in this one, I can't really tell just from the smell. 3

T: The taste is a lot lighter than I thought it would be from the smell. There may be some raspberries in this beer, but it may just be the sour notes with the malt. Not as sweet at the smell would suggest. Some vinegar with a biting sourness in the finish. 4.5

M: The body is on the thick side of medium with very little carbonation. The finish has a touch of dryness to it. Could have used just a tad more carbonation. 3.5

O: I knew I was in trouble when I opened this and smelled it. My wife doesn't like sour beers, so this is all me. I was pleasantly surprised by the taste after the smell was just alright. I'm thinking Flanders Red or an Oude Brun? I'd go with the latter if I had to pick one. 4

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 02:53:21 | More by oline73

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

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

Pours a small amount of beige white head. Leaves some splattered lace. Color is a ruby caramel red.

Aroma: A lot of sourness here. Cranberries, cherries, and raspberries. Oak and grape skins. Leather. Funky. The nose fits the description on the bottle well.

Taste: Very much on par with what an oud bruin should taste like, but it has a little more flavor on top of that. Caramel and some spices with all of the flavors in the nose. Very sour and mouthpuckering. Very fruity.

Mouthfeel: Sour and tart. Medium bodied with a low to medium amount of carbonation. Ends clean.

Overall, this was a really nice beer. It was much better than I expected it to be and I expected it to be decent. This bottle drank very quick and I could easily have more.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 00:44:16 | More by mothman

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Gale Sayers shaker pint glass.

Big thanks to Trxxpaxxs for this bottle!

Reviewed blind as part of Blind BIF 6. It pours a cloudy sienna (with a nice dark core) topped by a little over a finger of dirty tan foam. The nose comprises red apple skin, red grapes, lightly tart orange, cinnamon, toffee, light clove, and a kiss of fig. The taste brings in more red apple skin, generally mild vinegar, spicy grapes (wine-like ones, y'know), toffee, clove, raisins, tart mandarin orange, and a touch of grapefruit peel. The body is a light-ish medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a lightly grainy, generally smooth, and fluid feel. Overall, a very nice brew, one that definitely lived up to its good press.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 04:08:50 | More by TMoney2591

jcartamdg

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown with a slight red tint when held up into the light. No head a all and no signs of carbonation from the apperence. Aroma of cherries, lacto and slight vinegar. Taste follows the nose, great sour presence, easily drinkable. I wish they made more of this stuff, it's an outstanding beer from two of my favorite breweries!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 02:17:47 | More by jcartamdg

Beerontwowheels

Maryland

3.88/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle poured into DFH Signature glass.

I've been waiting for a nice occasion to open this bottle and one happened to come around today. I'll be going solo on this one!

A: Pours a dark mahogany like color, copperish when held to light. No head to really speak of, just a minor bit settling on the surface.

S: As soon as the bottle was uncapped the sour notes came screaming out. Dark fruits shine through the sour, cherries being most prominent.

T: Tart, but not as tart as the nose promised. Cherries dominate the taste with dark fruits also in the mix. A little more tartness and this would have been outstanding.

M: A slightly fuller body than other dark sours I've tried. An adequate amount of carbonation, though a little more would have been preferred.

O: A great beer from two well respected breweries. The nose and mouthfeel were highlights for me, but the taste was not far behind. If you can find this, it's worth picking up. I'm glad I have another half-bottle to celebrate with!

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 00:19:28 | More by Beerontwowheels

Mahlik

Oregon

3.85/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle from Bailey's Taproom. Poured into a tulip glass. Reviewed from notes.

A - Pours a dark brown with a reddish tint. Almost opaque. An aggressive pour produces a one-finger tan head that dissipates quickly. Little lacing.

S - Funky sourness hit the nose first. Lots of tart cranberries and cherries follow. Grape tannins add a vinous feel. Hints of leather and balsamic vinegar also exist. Smells a bit boozy.

T - This is where the beer loses me a bit. Lots of sour acidity and tartness from the cranberries and cherries. Sour grapes and tannins add some vinous qualities. Hints of oak. I think the acidity keeps some of the other flavors from coming out.

M - Medium bodied with light carbonation. A bit thin but I don't feel that ruins the feel. A surprising wet finish.

O - I was bit disappointed with this one. Maybe my expectations were a little too high since both of these breweries are among my favorites. I felt the unbalanced nature of the taste was my biggest grip with it. However, this beer was still enjoyable. A good beer from two great breweries.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 02:38:52 | More by Mahlik

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Bottle to stemless wine glass. Sampled 11/27/11.

A: Pours a garnet cherry brown color with ruby hints along the edges. Almost entirely opaque except when held to light. The head rises to 1 finger, is light khaki brown in color and has decent retention. Spare smatterings of lace stick to the glass.

S: Sour cherry, ripe plum, raisin, prune and possibly even other dark fruits. Mildly acetic with an underlying balsamic vinegar quality. Leathery with earthy tobacco notes and a light astringency from the oak tannins.

T: Marrón Acidifié has a much appreciated balance of flavors. The sourness is prevalent, perhaps even understated, allowing the tartness of the cherry and sweetness of the dark fruit to come through. Part of the flavor profile is reminiscent of high quality red zinfandel as it begins to turn acidic. Oaky with a mild peppery spice.

M: Medium-light body with a luscious texture. A modest combination of tart and sweet on the front end with a semi dry, tannic finish. The downfall is the level of carbonation. This bottle was nowhere near flat, but it was definitely undercarbonated. (My experience on tap had a more bite to the effervescence but the flavor somehow wasn't as integrated.)

O: A solid brew that would have benefited greatly from a more substantial mouthfeel. The flavor, while very good, would have been even better with a heftier effervescence to elevate it all around.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 03:19:01 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

nhindian

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review #400!

Review from notes. Had this at a Pittsburgh tasting a bit ago.

750ml bottle split and poured into a Stone taster.

A - Pours a ruddy brown with an orange sunburst around the edges. There's a noticeable amount of sediment floating around within the beer, giving it a cloudy haze. Not a whole lot of head, about about a half-finger of tan foam, with low retention. Not much lacing as well, besides some rogue bubbles hanging on here and there.

S - Even before the glass reaches my nose, I get a strong, sour acidity. Yep, it smells pretty damn sour. A mild amount of grape, but definitely chock full of cherry, from the pit to the skin, all the while being nice and tart. There's a slight hint of vinegar as well, but not to the extent of something like Duchesse.

T - The taste is definitely sour all of the way through. Although, this is somewhat mitigated by a decent caramel malt influence. Again, the main flavor here is inspired by the tart cherries, and this tartness lasts for a long time. Rounding out the flavors are some green apples, grapes, and a pinch of vanilla and oak.

M - Mouthfeel is medium- to full-bodied with carbonation a touch on the low side. It has tartness for days and definitely does pucker the lips and sides of the cheeks. A bit dry as well.

D/O - Drinkability is high. Very solid flavors here with a nice, full mouthfeel. The tartness in particular is memorable and it really sticks around long after the glass is emptied.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 03:07:13 | More by nhindian

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml capped bottle courtesy of Soonami. Pours a hazy mahogany with a loose, cream-colored head that dissipates into a sudsy skim and an oily slick. Nose expresses buttery notes, tannins, oak, dark vinous fruit reminiscent of a merlot or carbernet, on a light, toasted, malty backbone. Taste expresses leather, tannins, cranberries, oak and balsamic vinegar. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body with a carbonation that falls just short of lively and a slightly sharp acidity. Overall, a solid example of the style. Perhaps a little thin for my general taste, which slightly amplifies the acidity; nonetheless, a very respectable collaboration. I'd be interested to see what a little time does to this beer - I feel like it might even out the edges a little bit. That said, it's drinking quite well right now as it is.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 18:25:23 | More by Jwale73

drink1121

California

4.38/5  rDev +5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep mahogany with very little head and no lacing.
Smells of vanilla, caramel, sour cherries, oak, dark fruit jam and light booze at the very end.
Tastes of sour cherries, caramel, leather, dark fruits.
Really great beer. Tastes like it was aged in oak for the perfect amount of time. I love the caramel and tart together. Reminds me of a smaller, bourbon-less Bourbonic Plague.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 23:03:19 | More by drink1121

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ml bottle pulled from the cellar with a few months on it. I've sampled this beer quite a few times, but never an entire bottle to notate for a review. Shared with my girlfriend, and served into two snifters.

A: Semi-hazy mahogany copper colored body with an initially small, thick bubbly off-white head. The dissipation was very rapid and didn't leave anything in the way of retention. Almost no lace, either. Not horrible for the style.

S: Tart black cherries, leather, blackberry, oak and a gritty malt base. There's lots going on in terms of sourness with a good amount of funk and dry tart qualities. An astringent musky note leads into the end of the nose.

T: Very tart dark fruits, black cherry and apple are up front. Once your palate adjusts to the initial bite of the funky tartness, a lot more flavors open up. More leather and oak wood round out the majority of the flavors. In the finish, a touch of booze and sticky dry malts are into the linger.

M: Carbonated and bubbly, but I can't help but feel it might be a little under done. I expected this to be really carbonated but it does work quite nice how it is. Over time I think it would increase, perhaps making this more true to style.

This is a really well done Flanders but certainly not one for the record books. It is very complex in the flavor profile that provides a unique and ever changing experience. Quite good but not stellar. Would I drink it again? Absolutely.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 16:11:11 | More by ShanePB

zhanson88

Montana

3.7/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a deep, clear mahogany color with ruby highlights. About 1" of tan, slightly soapy looking head forms , which has decent retention and decent lacing. Nice color on this one.

Smell: Very pungent smell. Lots of tart and sweet cherries, a fair amount of vinegary sourness, lemon tartness and oak.

Taste: Cherry sweetness initially, followed by vinegar, lemon, and a fair amount of acidity. Tart cherries and oak follow on the back end and finish. Finish is fairly dry.

Mouthfeel/Overall: Fairly light, medium amount of carbonation. Pretty smooth. The initial sweetness is nice, but the sourness is a bit too much; too fake. Not my favorite of this style, but not bad either.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 04:49:04 | More by zhanson88

isitsavage

Texas

4.38/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to CooperEllis for picking me up a couple bottles of this.

Poured into a wine glass. Dark reddish brown in color with maybe a finger of off-white head that faded pretty quick, nice webs of lacing.

Smell is primarily vinegar, oak, and leather. Tart fruits, roasted nuts, funk, and a little booze round it out. Actually smells pretty "warm" and "full" overall. Don't really know what that means, something to do with the booze, oak, and leather I think. Very manly smelling beer.

Taste is immediately sour, mostly in the form of balsamic vinegar and fruits. A slightly warming booze taste and some sweet vinous qualities balance things out pretty well but it's still a very sour beer. It's relatively full bodied and coats the mouth and teeth just a little too much. Has that enamel eating quality on the teeth. A bit of a sipper with all the booziness I'm picking up here and no one really wants all that sourness at once. Overall I think this is a really great sour, and especially good for winter drinking when you've tired of stouts.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 02:10:24 | More by isitsavage

corby112

Pennsylvania

2.65/5  rDev -36.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Pours a deep dark brown color with cherry/plum edges and a half finger beige head that immediately fades into a thin ring. Minimal spots of lace left behind.

Sweet vinous aroma with subtle earthy funk, vinegary acidity and tons of dark fruit. The barrel character is pretty strong with lots of toasted oak, complimenting the sweeter notes. Pretty vinous with hints of grape, dark cherries and other berries which meld well with the vinaigrette presence. Subtle malts underneath. The nose of this beer is really nice.

Medium bodied with a sweet tart presence that lingers throughout and dominates most of the flavor. Puckeringly sour with a strong acetic vinegar presence that is way too strong, giving off a chemical feel. This really hurts the flavor of this beer overpowering the vinous dark fruit notes, toasted oak and whatever malt presence there might be underneath.

I love sour beers but this is a bit of a one dimensional mess that's severely lacking in complexity.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 06:52:26 | More by corby112

dogfishandi

New York

4.4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

another big thanks to scott (merc7186) for sharing this!

750ml capped bottle at fridge temp poured into a snifter.

pours out a slight cloudy/ murky bloodish red/ brown color with a big solid light tan colored head. a very nice long lasting retention and lots of sticky lace.

big, sour lactic funk with a bit of cherries, almost raspberry like, mixed in. just a hint of some dark fruits and sweet malt.

again, aggressive sour lactic funk leads the way for some tart cherries and other such fruits, some dark, dried fruits. a very nice slightly rich caramel, almost maple syrup like malt rounds this beer off so well. nuances of leather, tobacco, and maybe even a hint of oak if you can get past all the acidic, lactic funk.

very acidic and sourness, tartness lingers on the palate. medium bodied with a nice slightly high amount of carbonation.

an amazing flanders, maybe one of the best ive had. lots of complexities but still a huge punch of sour. very similar to the oude tart i enjoyed right before this, but IMO, this has a slightly sweeter, more apparent, more complex malt profile which really makes the beer. id love some more of this for the cellar, and kudos on the collaboration, that always adds a special little touch.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 22:52:47 | More by dogfishandi

merc7186

New York

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

I had this beer poured from a bomber into a sinfter glass.

The beer poured great with a solid dark amber, brownish hue that passes through almost no light, a nice off brown head and some lacing on the glass. The beer smells decent with a sour note of dark fruit and some oak barrel aging on the back end. The beer tastes outstanding (better than oude tart) with a definite oak barrel aged sour fruity flavor. The mouthfeel is decent with a definite dry and bitterness to it and the beer is well carbonated. Overall, better than Oude Tart but a solid a sour ale...recommedned.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 03:55:15 | More by merc7186