Lost & Found Abbey Ale - The Lost Abbey

kojevergas

California

3.43/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

1 pint 9.4 fl oz brown glass bottle with hood-and-wire cap over a cork served into a Guinness goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Acquired at Wades Wines in Westlake Village, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are high given the brewery and style - both of which I'm fond of. Cost was $7.99 plus tax. No best before or bottled on date are listed on the label.

Served refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated (in spite of the brewery's reputation amongst some beer drinkers).

A: After the satisfying pop of the cork, it pours a three finger head of off-white colour, fluffy smooth texture - very foamy, nice cream, great thickness, and excellent retention for the relatively high ABV. Very frothy. The head doesn't even recede a centimetre after three minutes, and held up for ten minutes during consumption - very impressive indeed. Colour is a tame dark ruby-red - nontransparent but not opaque.

Sm: A strong fig aroma, with definite notes of candied fruits (as per the label), candied sugar, and perhaps raisins - but only when I look for them. Caramelization. Cherries, maybe weak apple, and perhaps plum. Yeast. A pleasant mild strength aroma. Subtle, complex, and inviting.

T: Fig is dominant, but only barely. A delightful creamy open gives way to the candied sugar/clean malt foundation. If present, the raisins are subdued - at least beyond my palatable range. The candied fruits - indistinct though each may be - are wonderful and nicely fill out the flavour profile. Cherry swells on the finish, which is nice alongside a topper pour because it's well complemented by the frothy cream of the head. A full bodied yet subtle brew. Quite pleasant and enjoyable. Fresh and satisfying. The layering is a nice touch. Impressively well balanced and nicely built for a dubbel, experimenting with fruits. I'd like more yeast flavour, but I'm sure that will come as I get towards the bottle's bottom.

I do wish it was more complex; it feels a bit timid as is. Moreover, the notes are rather indistinct, giving it a compressed feel that works against its subtlety rather than for it.

Mf: Frothy and creamy. Smooth and wet. The thickness isn't perfect but it's suitable. Complements the flavours very well, but doesn't feel custom-tailored specifically to accentuate them. It's light on the palate, lending it a fragile delicate feel that suits the tingly candied sugar notes fantastically. Perfectly carbonated. The finish leaves me licking me lips.

Dr: Very drinkable, especially for the high ABV - which is itself well concealed. The incorporation of what feels like a high volume of candied fruits was a bold move within the style and pays off well. Bravo for that. I'd certainly have it again, preferably bottle-aged for three or more years. This will satisfy fans of the style, and I'd recommend this generally (but perhaps not specifically to friends). It's a bit pricey though, even here in California. Finally, Lost Abbey has far better beers; this is not one of their best offerings. Indeed, it's merely average for Lost Abbey. [I had to bring this category down to get the letter rating I needed, but the drinkability is a 4 out of 5.]

Drinks perfectly out of a goblet; I recommend a goblet on the narrower end of the spectrum. I'd caution against a snifter for this one; the aroma needs no trapping and the head is ideal in a goblet.

Would pair well with food. I wouldn't recommend spicy or rich food. Maybe a salad or sandwich.

A pretty good candidate for aging, though I don't see it getting significantly better. Maybe it'd move from a B- to a B.

B-

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 04:22:21 | More by kojevergas

blakelive784

Colorado

3.33/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

1 pt 9.4 fl oz brown glass bottle served in a snifter, reviewed live:

A - Pours an opaque mahogany color with 2 fingers of creamy off white head. Retention is okay at best, but it does leave nice cream lacing as it recedes.

S - Spicy phenols, caramel, toasted malt, candied sugar, fig, currant, raisins, cream and toffee notes. The raisin note becomes much more apparent as it warms. Smells really sweet, maybe even overly so.

T - Heavy caramel and tart fruits meddle throughout. The heavy use of raisins, though not usually to my liking, works fairly well in the beer as a whole. The yeast is mostly prevalent near the end. No alcohol show at all. It's a bit imbalanced towards sweet, though I think it's probably appropriate for the style.

M - Medium bodied, wet and smooth.

D - A pretty good dubbel, though I've definitely had better. Good quality, high price, fairly easy drinker. I'd probably have it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 22:00:52 | More by blakelive784

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.1/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 750mL bottle into a snifter.

A: Half of finger of frothy head. The beer is matte mud brown but grows translucent and attractive when backlit.

S: Belgian yeast. Spiced fruit. Unsurprising and unassuming.

T: Strangely bitter, in an herbal sort of way, with a touch of coffee on the aftertaste. Otherwise, fairly mundane. Brief, boring fruit is saved only by a spiciness that ties in to the flavour that one reviewer astutely compared to Angostura bitters. The maintaste is incredibly brief, with no staying power. Unfortunate.

M: Rather flat, but with a little bit of sparkle on the tongue (not carbonation; tingly flavors).

O: Not terribly impressive, and one of the most disappointing Lost Abbey beers I've ever had. I wouldn't speak out against it, but I probably won't have another one. If you want a dubbel, stick to the Belgian versions.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 06:00:39 | More by AgentMunky

jbonapar

Ontario (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased somewhere in Boston. You American's as so lucky..such a great beer selection! Anyway...

Poured an almost burnt Amber. Thick head and clear.

Odor of subtle Banana and fig...So nice.

SPice, fig, alcohol and a warming subtle hop backbone. Love this. Very complex with so much going on i can't quite nail it.

Havnt had a beer from here I didn't like..

Serving type: growler

03-11-2012 01:46:00 | More by jbonapar

onewetpaw

Tennessee

4.4/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip from a corked and caged bomber.

A- Figs and black pepper.

A- Ruby to amber with a thick beige head.

F- Slight warming alcohol. Flavors of raisins and figs. A slightly rummy flavor. Low to moderate fruity esters reminding me of a belgian beer, in a great way.

M- High carbonation and dry quality that clears the palate rapidly.

O- A super interesting beer with lots of depth. The fig type flavors are something I enjoy. This is my first Lost Abbey beer and I can say I'm a fan and that it lives up to the hype.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 23:54:10 | More by onewetpaw

danedelman

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

served out of a 750ml cork and cage bottle into a 22oz snifter.

A-very red, mahogany with a nice 1 finger head.

S-malt with a hint of a smokiness(not rauchbier like). Has almost a tart smell to it. Candi sugar also is a big presence with maybe cherries.

T-not bad. malty with a touch of coffee. pretty dry. no tartness like I smelled.

M-medium bodied with a nice carbonation level for the style.

Overall-enjoyed but probably wouldn't buy again.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 21:32:17 | More by danedelman

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a slightly hazy reddish brown in color with a one finger tall light tan head. The head on this beer dissipates rather quickly. Moderate lacing is observed.

S: Moderate amounts of sweetness is observed in the aroma - highlighting it would be caramel and dark fruits (raisin/plum/fig). Also, there are some hints of woodiness to this beer.

T: The flavors start with a crisp apple, followed by dark fruit sweetness (raisin/fig), malty sweetness like caramel, and the finish has some spices in it. Overall the flavor is more dominated by a woodiness that increases as the beer warms.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Dryness in the finish.

O: Not my favorite example of the style - there might be just a little too much woodiness and not quite enough sweetness/sugars in the beer. Not an unenjoyable beer but not one that I will be running out to get again.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 15:57:17 | More by dbrauneis

metter98

New York

3.53/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is hazy brownish amber in color. It poured with a quarter finger-high beige head that died down but left a thin ring of bubbles on the surface and a patch of bubbles in the middle of the glass.
S: The smell has aromas of wood along with notes of caramel and hints of spices. As it warms up, the wood somewhat dissipates and replaced with aromas of dark fruits.
T: Similar to the smell, woody flavors stand out in the taste, which also has some complexity with notes of caramel and raisins. Spices are evident in the finish. Fruity flavors become more apparent as the beer warms up.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. There is some dryness in the finish,
O: This beer is a little too woody for my taste and could use more sugar and sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 15:16:14 | More by metter98

hopfacebrew

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Undated bottle to Duvel tulip the beer pours a nice amber brown color with a decent 3/4 finger head. Some retention and nice lacing. The aroma is that of malty sweetness, raisin, hint of the belgian yeast and earthy hops. The nose is sweet. The flavor follows suit with an initial malty sweetness. The light belgian character comes through as it warms. The raisin fruitiness begins to dominate the palette in the middle along with a mild bitterness. Finishes clean and smooth. Good carbonation. Overall, this is good but isn't my favorite. I had shied away from it so long due to the raisins, a flavor I don't care for. As such I found the flavor too powerful with the fruit, though this could be due to my preference. It was good and I would recommend it, just not my favorite offering from The Lost Abbey.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2012 21:54:56 | More by hopfacebrew

Gavage

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: pours a amber brown color with a 1" head. Some spotty lace develops during the session.

Smell: malt and sugary sweetness, some fruits, and a hint of yeast.

Taste: nice malt base with prunes, raisins, brown sugar, pepper, yeast, and a moderate bitterness. Alcohol is mild but noticeable.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied. Lightly crisp throughout with a bit of dryness late. Aftertaste is long and the raisins really come through late.

Overall: a nice Belgian style ale that has a nice balanced flavor. Somewhat refreshing from the crispness. Slow sipping.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 18:30:00 | More by Gavage

mrelizabeth

California

3.45/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this on-tap at Counterpoint.

A- Great color. Plum/raisin when full in the glass, lightens to a pale red/brown when nearly empty. Really attractive purple Belgian. Clean head.

S- Malty, yeasty aroma w/ a touch of fruit.

T- Lightly fruity Belgian, malty, minimally sour.

M- Refreshing and clean. Balanced on the tongue.

O- Nice Belgian if you are looking for something a bit different, or if you are a fan of red ales. Not as sour/fruity as it looks.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2012 20:34:18 | More by mrelizabeth

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

caged and cored 750mL bottle, with date stamped on as bottled 4/7/11.

appears a murky chestnut brown color, with 1" cream colored head. decent head retention. sweet malty aroma, typical of the style.

the raisins seem to be there in the taste, with a touch of brown sugar, and caramel malt. medium body, fairly smooth mouthfeel.

overall - good, but for the price, I'd take most Belgian dubbels over it.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 03:39:38 | More by jmdrpi

JohnTerrizzi

West Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Serving Type: poured from bottle into clear glass beer mug.

Appearance: coppery redish brown. some whitish head that dissipates rapidly. a little lacing.

Smell: fruity. almost like a champagne.

Taste: sour fruit. raisins. champagne like.

Mouthfeel: not much carbonation. nice mouthfeel.

Overall: great beer. tastes similar to Chimay Rouge. would definitely drink again.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 05:10:06 | More by JohnTerrizzi

Doppelbockulus

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy rose copper with almost no head.

Smells like grape juice and a bit of pomegranate. There is also a faint cedar note in the nose possibly from the yeast and malt. Nose is not very potent overall, though some pleasing notes are there.

Medium dark flavor. I do not get any sweetness, there is some bit of character from the raisins but it is dry. Darker toasted malt comes out far more strongly that the raisin character. Imagine a brandy with a splash of bourbon.

Semi dry feel, medium tingle, and a faint tannin like that of a red wine but much more subdued.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 23:20:57 | More by Doppelbockulus

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

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

A - Cloudy medium brown with amber hues. Thin beige head, sticking to the glass.

S - A nice mixture of citrus, pepper, wood, malt, alcohol and a spice cabinet. Cloves, sour apple, rubbing alcohol. Dry grains, malt sweetness.

T - A nice complexity going on. Plenty of subtle fruit acidity and sweetness. Earthy and musky with an old grainy presence. Some metallic twang and bitterness, along with some mild spice notes. A very faint hint of carob here, with brown raisins in the mix. Nut and wood notes in the semi dry finish.

M - So very creamy and soft on the palate. ALmost feels/finishes like a wine. Light carbonation. The %8 is hidden well.

O - An interesting beer with good complexity and an earthy balance.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 03:36:43 | More by BeerForMuscle

Suds

Pennsylvania

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

Solid beer. At first, a malty, rich brown brew with a tan head. It's not a typical Belgian style...sweeter, not as aromatic as most. There are some pepper, phenol, and yeast notes, but they sit behind the malt. The flavor has a malt forward character as well...some fruit and pepper, the phenolic attributes come out more in the mid-taste. Nice. The finish is abrupt. Fuller and a little sweeter than I expected. Full in body. This is a very enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 03:55:36 | More by Suds

voteforgoat

California

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

app - medium dark brown with beige head.

taste - tannic, fruity, yeasty, raisins. complex - there's a lot going on. I'm imagining strawberries and mushrooms, though that's ridiculous. A bit of alcohol heat.

smell - brown sugar, yeast, subdued.

mouthfeel - mild carbonation but appropriate. slightly creamy, full body. Some definite, very pleasant tartness in the finish. Nice balance of flavors. I can't decide if that's residual sweetness in the beer or if it's dry, which is kinda fascinating.

overall - happy with the purchase. I've been trying to branch out of my funky saison/sour lambic fixation and re-visit styles I drank more often in the past. Decided to try the Lost Abbey line-up..totally due to the flack they get on this website. Overall, very good beer and am looking forward to the rest of the Lost Abbey line-up.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 07:04:24 | More by voteforgoat

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 corked and caged into long-stemmed tulip.

A: hazy ruby red. this thing is seriously ruby. frothy reddish, brownish, white. very frothy. great head retention. good lacing.

S: plums. a little oaky. actually more than a little. definitely oaky. a little bit of vanilla. some roast in there too. reminds me of roasted pig. or some other roasted meat.

T: chestnuts. brown sugar. tobacco. a little bit grapey towards the finish. vinous. as well as some wood. good, refreshing complexity.

M: vivid carbonation on a medium body.

D: good dubbel representation here. flavors work well and the bottle conditioning is really solid. definitely an enjoyable/drinkable brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 02:52:40 | More by Jimmys

jtierney89

New Jersey

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

Everyone on the forums complaining about the corks on these beers being tough to get off have a valid point. My suggestion is to use something with a hard fine point to etch a tiny notch between the bottle and the cork and then wiggle it free rather than slowly turning and pulling it up.

Now, on to the beer.

I generally don't like beers brewed with raisins but I brought this beer into my store so i have to try it to know how to sell it and from what I read, this beer is pretty good.

Pours a very hazy deep amber color almost brown with a nice sized off white head. Nose is incredibly subtle. I'm able to pull out of it some dark fruit and roasted malts. Caramel becomes evident as well.

Wow, despite the nose, quite a delicious brew. Immediately it's reminiscent of chocolate covered raisins, and smores. More chocolate flavors than expected. Alcohol warms as it goes down the throat. Some detectable coffee and caramel with a spicy hop finish to balance. For being brewed with raisins, raisins are not the star, which is good. They play their part just right.

Flavors are incredibly well blended together and all go together so smoothly. Caramel becomes more apparent as the brew warms.

Delicious and beautifully complex brew. I just wish the cork wasn't so hard to get off.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 04:28:19 | More by jtierney89

keanex

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Duvel tulip from a 750ml caged and corked bottle with no freshness date.

A: Clear deep garnet body with a thin creamy looking tan head. Very appealing looking.

S: Slight dark fruits with a sugar sweetness, raisons do come through as do some apples, but well balanced.

T: Very sweet, sugar and raison flavor from start to finish with light chocolate notes. This is good and easy to drink.

M: Full bodied with decent amount of fizzy mouth expanding carbonation.

O: This is a good brew, but overall I'm not too impressed. There's a great delicate balance to this though with a nice complexity.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 04:41:31 | More by keanex

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

3.08/5  rDev -21%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - pours a clear ruby/deep amber. Minimal white head. Leaves tons of spotty lacing.

S - overall the aroma is a little under whelming for the style. Otherwise there are pronounced raisin esters. Some cherry as well. Hints of toffee in the backround. Not much else to speak of.

T - sweetness hits the tounge immediately. Followed by the notes of raisins. There seems to be a balancing tartness. Sour cherries perhaps. Subtle notes of spice which linger on past the finish.

M - medium bodied leaning towards full with a bubbly carbonation.

O - I'm a huge fan of the Dubbel style but this left me a little hunderwhelmed. None of those bright phenolics. Still a decent beer but it doesn't quite fit the style for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 05:36:34 | More by Teleweizen2

scar

New Jersey

3.08/5  rDev -21%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I love Belgian beers and seek them out. This beer is above average but not good/great. The appearance was very traditional and can't discount the beer for this reason.

The smell was very lacking. I mean these beers have the rep for being legendary for their complexity and much of this appeal is usually found in the aroma. Very dull, tiny amount of dark fruit, nothing great.

Taste was very lacking. These abbey beers need to be made with Pilsner malt. Okay, I said it. Many American companies try to make these beers with US 2-row. Guess what?... I can taste it. Not to be boring, but it results in a beer that doesn't taste as authentic as Ommegang or the imports, without going into much detail.

Mouth-feel good, but not sticky, beer needs more sugar. Overall a good beer, but lacking, and it hurts me to say this because these beers have been in our dreams for a long time here on the east coast.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 01:57:56 | More by scar

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a burnt orange with 3 fingers of fluffy tan head that dissipates slowly. Excellent clarity and heavy carbonation. Excellent layer of fluffy lacing coats the side of the glass.

N: Very subtle nose consisting of cinnamon, nectarine and bready malts. No raisin detected.

T: Overripe plum, pear, banana and light grains upfront. Mid-palate brings in figs, molasses and cocoa. Finishes with figs, cinnamon, notes of clove and perhaps some coriander.

M: Medium-full bodied, creamy, smooth and semi-dry.

O: A very subtle Dubbel with some nice dark fruits and hints of molasses. Nice bouquet of spices in the finish. I expect more flavor from a Dubbel, but still a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 21:43:05 | More by justintcoons

jeffmart22

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a clear dark amber with one finger head that does it's best to linger around. Lacing in the glass is moderate.

A - Malty sweetness. Some dark fruits like raisin and prune come through. It also has some funk from the yeast strain used. Slightly tart. No hop aromas.

T - The raisin and prune sweetness are up front in this one. This is a malt bomb. No hop bitterness whatsoever. Finishes with a slight funky and sweet taste.

M - Medium in body. Moderate in carbonation and flavor duration.

O - Nice dubbel, but not outstanding.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2012 17:37:27 | More by jeffmart22

Philousa

California

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Imbibed at the Lost Abbey tap room on 12/31/2011.

Pours a bright caramel amber with a delicate head that clings to the edge of the glass. Toffee, coffee, and caramel aromas make up the majority of the nose. Sweet, but not overpowering. Dark barley malt has a bit of light nut aroma to it. Lots of toffee flavor to start with coffee accents. This is all about the malt. I don't really get any Belgian yeast flavors in this, and definitely no hops. This is thick with malt and a bit heavy.

I'm not a fan of Dubbels, let me be clear. That's probably why I'm not giving this a stellar review. I can tell that they spent a lot of time developing this beer, as the malt is very toffee centric, but it's not too sweet. And it definitely doesn't let the Belgian yeast turn that toffee into a tart, unpleasant taste that lingers in the back of your throat, like most other Dubbels. For this, I commend them. However, I would like to see some Belgian yeast, as that is one of my favorite flavors to enjoy. Seeing as how I didn't get that aforementioned unpleasantness in my throat, I have to overlook that. A good Dubbel, but could be a little more complex. I would reach for an Abbey Ale by New Belgium first, but this is second for American made Dubbels.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2012 02:30:52 | More by Philousa