Avant Garde - The Lost Abbey

mmmbeer

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL brown Belgian bottle, cork and cage, with no freshness date. Brewed with two-row, honey malt and house-toasted malt, hopped with Brewer's Gold, Strisselspalt and Saaz, and fermented with lager yeast at ale temperatures; OG 1.060, FG 1.008. Pours crystal-clear amber, with low carbonation and a short, loose head that leaves very light lacing. Smells of sour grapes and vinous malts at first (how long was this on the shelf?), but it smells less aged with breathing. Becomes floral and sweet, with notes of toasty/bready malts, spicy/perfumy hops and a bit of alcohol. Tastes fairly similar, clean, with a hint of sweetness, a creeping bitterness, and a mild malt astringency. The body is light and moderately-carbonated, with a dry and warming finish. Easygoing and fairly good for the style, but it is way overpriced for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2011 00:04:41 | More by mmmbeer

zonker17

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5%

05-24-2013 05:40:05 | More by zonker17

joshbhs04

California

3.74/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A- Hazy color with a nice slowly dissipating head. Super tiny bubbles moving along the edge of the glass
S- Lemon, hay, Belgian funky ( my term lol). Aroma doesn’t linger long
T- Lemon, Def get the bread yeast flavors. A lil medicine flavor on the back of the tongue.
M- Good carb that seems to dance on the tongue, medium mouth feel. Lingers on the throat a lil bit.
O- A good beire de garde, typical of the style from my experience ( which isn’t a lot for this style). A beer I could drink in the summer sitting in the yard relaxing.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 23:39:38 | More by joshbhs04

wonothesane42

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

05-19-2013 00:06:20 | More by wonothesane42

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

05-17-2013 15:37:24 | More by twenty5

moonknight31

California

4/5  rDev +5%

05-16-2013 16:54:18 | More by moonknight31

Zbeetleman

California

2/5  rDev -47.5%

05-15-2013 02:43:08 | More by Zbeetleman

saiconotto

Maine

4/5  rDev +5%

05-09-2013 21:40:17 | More by saiconotto

portia99

Massachusetts

3.76/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle (bottled 10/4/11) poured into an Allagash stemmed glass. Found this old bottle sitting on the shelf at an out of the way store and figured I'd give it a shot.

A - After a nearly impossible to remove cork finally lets loose this pours hazy and finely sedimented glowing orange body with two fingers of fluffy off-white head that shows excellent staying power and leaves lots of lacing on the glass.

S - This is super fruity on the nose with tons of green apples, really bright lemon aromas, some oranges, still nice hoppy bitterness, quite estery, some spices.

T - Surprisingly bitter hoppiness that trends towards being a bit medicinal which also overpowers most of the other flavors. Still manages to put out some solid fruity flavors consistent with the aroma - lemons, oranges, apples...but all at a lower and less satisfying intensity.

M - Agressive carbonation that is fizzy and foamy in the mouth. Body is a lightish medium. The medicinal bitterness sadly lingers long past the swallow and drowns out the other nuances that are trying to come out.

O - Started out really great with a beautiful appearance and really great and aromatic presence in the glass. Unfortunately perhaps the age hurt this one with the medicinal bitterness overpowering the more delicate fruitiness. Maybe I will seek out a fresher bottle for comparison. Had high hopes on opening and suffered a bit of a letdown in the taste test. Still plenty drinkable and enjoyable, but what the aroma promised could have been something great if the flavor lived up to it.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 23:47:13 | More by portia99

smithj4

New York

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

04-17-2013 23:59:09 | More by smithj4

Mattias

Sweden

4/5  rDev +5%

04-17-2013 20:19:52 | More by Mattias

largadeer

California

3/5  rDev -21.3%

04-08-2013 21:18:55 | More by largadeer

Twal

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

04-06-2013 01:47:08 | More by Twal

gare8ear

California

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

03-30-2013 23:10:33 | More by gare8ear

vidguy17

Iowa

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

03-30-2013 14:34:36 | More by vidguy17

drgonzo2k2

California

4/5  rDev +5%

03-25-2013 00:53:32 | More by drgonzo2k2

Sparky44

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5%

03-23-2013 23:10:33 | More by Sparky44

GuinnessAtRogerWilco

New Jersey

3.86/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

750ml cork and cage bottle into a Chimay chalice glass.

AP: straw-gold colour with a 1/2" white lace head that slowly dissipates, strands of tight little bubbles floating to the top

AR: for whatever reason I'm not getting much aroma here, some faint bread, hay/grass and Belgian yeast. Smell is a bit bland.

T: taste makes up for the lack of aroma. Baked bread, apple, pear, peach, nectarine and a soft kiss of herbal hops on the finish. Very tasty.

M: a slight effervescence soon as it hits your tongue, good carbonation on this without being too much, finishes crisp and palate cleansing without being too dry

OV: I really like this beer and feel the Biere de Garde style is underrated. The flavours were really nice, which is the main aspect of any beer. It paired very well with my mushroom burger on multi-grain bread with salsa veggies and swiss. Definitely a good food beer for light to moderate fare.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 03:26:24 | More by GuinnessAtRogerWilco

Sixofsigmas

California

4/5  rDev +5%

03-17-2013 06:36:13 | More by Sixofsigmas

danwho

California

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

03-16-2013 14:51:08 | More by danwho

taospowder

New Mexico

4/5  rDev +5%

03-15-2013 21:46:42 | More by taospowder

ssalamone

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5%

03-11-2013 17:45:29 | More by ssalamone

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

03-07-2013 20:09:29 | More by orangesol

ryser2k

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

03-06-2013 21:59:59 | More by ryser2k

pathman

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

03-06-2013 02:45:24 | More by pathman