Cuvee De Tomme - The Lost Abbey

actone2001

California

1.8/5  rDev -57.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

Released in very early 2011, cellered in the hopes of a more carbonated, matured product.

A - dark black look, but when held to a light I could definitely tell that it is very dark reddish. When my glass is down the the final 3rd, I definitely can tell it's got a red hue.

S - tart cherry, vinegar. No maltiness, no Sourish notes.

T - There is that tartness that hits first, then fades to acetic vinegar. No real complexity. Tiny tannic oak, a little sherry maybe. No malt. Nothing that makes me want to keep drinking it. I let it warm in hopes that something more would come out. I get a little more of that tart cherry flavor, more vinegar, that's it. no lactic sourness of note.

M - flat as can be. I expected it, but it's still shocking how flat this really it.

O - wow, very disappointing. I had it when fresh, and thought I might get more complex/carbonated over the year. No. Not impressed, especially for $17 (375ml). I don't want to say it's a bad example of this style, because there is a broad array of beers that can fill this genre... But I would say that it wouldn't be a great introduction to the style for beginners. I will not be buying again. Sorry Tomme.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 02:37:48 | More by actone2001

deltatauhobbit

Maine

3.93/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to mlaroche for this one!

From a 12.7oz bottle, no bottle date but it was bought/stored for my on 3/19/2011

Pour is starting out like a typical Lost Abbey beer, flat looking, hardly any bubbles surface and the top looks still, color is a nice dark brown with some dark reddish highlights when held up to the light.

Smell has a nice aroma of tart cherries and a hint of sourness touches the nose, dash of oak to add some complexity.

Taste is as it looks, flat and lifeless in the mouth, the saving grace is the tart/sour cherry flavor distracts from the lack of carbonation, flavor-wise this beer hits all the right notes as the cherries dance around the woody character.

Older Viscosity and the Angel Shares suffered from lack of carbonation as well that made those beers intolerable by being a cloying mess. This beer is able to skate by because it's not cloying and the sourness distracts for the most part, but I can only imagine how good this would be if it were properly carbonated.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 00:50:13 | More by deltatauhobbit

Philousa

California

3.3/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

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

Very murky and cloudy in appearance. If I made a paint color to match this, it would be called "mysterious red". Good amount of light tan head, most likely because of the forced carbonation. Sour cherry hits up front and stays, turning a bit sweet like a blackberry. Stout backbone is evident, much like an Irish dry stout. Black cherry dominates the palate. Much like the ice cream flavor, but replace the sugary sweet flavor with a super sour flavor that turns tart. It's like a sour black cherry turns to a bitter dark chocolate in your mouth. Very thick and murky, this beer leaves a dry finish.

This is a wild beer (no pun intended). Although I am very intrigued and in awe over the flavors coaxed out of this beer, it is ultimately not one I would really want to try again. I am very happy to have had only a sample, as a 10oz glass would have been too much. I cannot imagine how someone would finish a 350ml bottle of this. As a homebrewer, I really want to pick the brewmaster's brain to see how he accomplished this. It just makes me want to try Red Poppy all the more.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2012 02:43:31 | More by Philousa

jimmy82063

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Result of my first ever trade...saved this for Christmas...poured into a Lost Abbey Tulip Glass...
a) Translucent brown...no head or carbonation.

s) Cheeries! We have a real sweet tart coming up!

t) I like this...boozy cherry quad....no carbonation which I know bothers a lot of folks but I kind of like it this way...as this warms get a bit of vanilla.

m) Smooth

o)Really liked this and would definitely seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 21:40:58 | More by jimmy82063

aasher

Indiana

3.15/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This bottle is the 2009 vintage, courtesy of BrewerB in a box awhile back. Thanks for hitting this Want Brian!

This beer pours a murky, dirty, stained wood brown with cherry highlights and no head or carbonation to speak of. The aromas consist of sour cherries, lactic sourness, light vanilla, and musty oak. It's interesting and heavy on the cherries. I don't get any of the bourbon barrel though. The flavors begin with the intial tart and sour cherry then go into an odd musty oakiness. It's different. It leaves an off raisin flavor in your mouth in the aftertaste. It reminds me of Veritas 009, which isn't good. The beer is lightly carbonated and drinks a little thin. It's just a strange sour. The alcohol isn't present until you're done sipping, then it warms your palate. Overall this is a miss for me. It sounds good on paper but then in a glass it is odd and disjointed. It's as if this beer doesn't have a purpose or isn't trying to necessarily accomplish something. I have yet to be impressed with a Lost Abbey sour with the exception of Red Poppy.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 03:35:41 | More by aasher

MasterSki

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2008 vintage from the ill-fated Sinners Club. Served in a Surly Darkness glass.

A - Behold! A properly carbonated beverage from The Lost Abbey - neither devoid of bubbles nor violently explosive. A finger of off-white foam settles to a few wispy clouds and thin collar of bubbles, leaving minimal lacing behind. Opaque, dark chestnut body.

S - Plenty of funk, acetic vinegar notes, wet oak, leather, dark sour cherries, musky overripe fruits, dark malts, and a hint of alcohol. The collection of flavors is slightly evocative of cherry cola. The wild yeast has definitely taken off in comparison to younger vintages of this beer. No obvious oxidation.

T - Tart cherries, vinegar, some oak and lactic sourness as well. The quad/BDSA qualities have been largely relegated to the periphery, with intense puckering sourness, cherries, and oak dominating. The barrel presence is perhaps a bit rough around the edges - the bourbon barrels do have a lot more oak to give than wine barrels typically used for American wilds.

M - Medium-full body, minimal alcohol presence, low but pleasant carbonation tingle, and a super dry and tannic finish. No complaints here, and not sure why subsequent Lost Abbey products are all over the map when it comes to bubbles. This is actually quite excellent.

D - I think this vintage may be on its way out, as it's gotten a bit unbalanced on the sour side of things. However, it's hard to know if the flat 2009 bottles or tiny 2010 batch would be superior at this stage - I'll have to give them a try in the near future. The 375ml bottle is a good format to share with a friend, as the high alcohol, intense flavors, and occasional harshness makes this a slow sipper.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 03:28:01 | More by MasterSki

CurtisLoew

Wisconsin

4.03/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 4

Came into this beer with incredibly high hopes. 11% quad w/ cherries? - sign me up!

Unfortunately it poured as flat as can be. A rigorous pour down the middle produced zero bubbles. Smell is great. Tart cherries, chocolate covered cherries. fig/rum/raisin characters. Amazing smell. Taste is more of the same. As it warms the taste really improves and opens up. The taste softens. Chocolate covered dark cherries w/ figs & raisins. It's really too bad they couldn't get the carbonation. It didn't need much, but with even a small amount of bubbles this beer would have been world class.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 16:13:23 | More by CurtisLoew

hippityhops85

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2008 bottle, poured into snifter.

Pours a dark, murky brown color. Minimal head. Kinda ugly.

The nose has tons of tart, mouthwatering flavors coating some dark fruit and wine characteristics. Very nice.

The taste has lots of tart raspberry preserve flavors to it along with some mild bourbon characteristics with paired really nicely together.

Medium bodied with low carbonation.

A really interesting beer and definitely one best shared among friends. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 18:34:34 | More by hippityhops85

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a dark raisin color with no head, no lacing, and no carbonation!

S - Brett, raisins, brown sugar, maple syrup, oak barrel, raisins, and figs, ....dark fruit.

T - Dry oak, sherry, cognac, dark cherries, raisins, figs,

M - VELVET smooth, lingering mellow tart sourness, leaves the mouth watering for another sip.

O - Outstanding!

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 06:22:40 | More by jzeilinger

DarthKostrizer

California

4.1/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Vintage 2009 Thanks for sharing Nathan! and Ehammond1 for the bottleshare invite

Look: Pours a medium to dark brown with about a 1/4 inch head and ok retention and some spotty lacing

Smell: The nose carries some dark fruits especially raisins, plums and figs. Very very tart nose on this guy as well definitely know its a sour beer based on the nose

Taste: Wow this beer is a palate wrecker. There is a crazy amount of tart sourness upfront and is backed up by again some dark fruit notes

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

Overall: This is one of the better sours I have had. I am still not a fan of sours and nor will I ever be at this point but this is a pretty damn good sour

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 08:52:30 | More by DarthKostrizer

phichifiji00

California

3.75/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 vintage poured into Lost Abbey tulip glass.

Appearance: Hazy, deep brown with red hues. Pours minimal off white head. Minimal lacing.

Smell: sour cherries, acidic, red wine vinegar, tart, dark fruit, barnyard funk, earthy.

Taste: sour cherries, tart, red-wine vinegar, acidic, very vinegary (much more so than fresh bottles I've had).

Mouthfeel: full bodied, moderate carbonation, very acidic.

Overall: one of my favorite sours from Lost Abbey. This bottle however was very acidic/vinegary. I don't recommend holding onto these more than a year or so.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 04:15:02 | More by phichifiji00

dgilks

Australia

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle thanks to futura123. Cheers William!

Dark murky brown a small and very short lasted light tan head.

Mild lactic aroma with some light fruitiness and a touch of funk. A hint of caramel. Nicely balanced.

Like a classic Flanders Red Ale this starts off with a fruity, tart kick that backs away to a bit of sweet and sour malt like an Oud Bruin. This is quite unique and very nicely tart with only mild funk. When I search for it, I can even find some of the bourbon barrel character. Nice.

Medium body with moderately-high carbonation. Very good.

Lost Abbey cops a lot of crap but I really enjoyed this. The tart character is very good, the fruitiness adds depth and there is even a bit of sweetness to the malt.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 09:11:47 | More by dgilks

mulder1010

Australia

3.83/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Masterski for the bottle
375 ML shared with others at tasting party

A-- Poured a deep, murky brown color. First thought was that this is one ugly looking beer. Except for a couple of bubbles this had no carbonation. No lacing, no nothing.

S-- Sour cherry, slight bourbon, vanilla, wood, plum, raisin and very wine like.

T-- Even more wine like I thought. Chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, wood, and slight amounts of cherry. Reminded me more of a solid shiraz than a wild ale really.

M-- Sour cherry finish. Front and mid were more the bourbon and vanilla. Once again very wine like to me. Slick and long lasting flavor. Little to no carbonation to this but with that much complexity it really did not need it. Alcohol was minimal at best.

O-- Ugly looking beer but very good. Not the big bright flavors or sour vinegar that other sours have. Really good beer and really enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 13:33:00 | More by mulder1010

spicelab

Australia

4.4/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle thanks to mulder1010.

Reddish clay brown, with zero carbonation.

Complex interplay of lactic, fortified and barrel characteristics which dominate at different times, providing a different experience with every sniff or taste. As well as the obvious cherry and raisin notes there's maple, vanilla, pecan pie, stewed plum and rustic barky notes.

11%? Having had Red Poppy just before, this felt not much thicker. Smooth as you'd expect from zero carb with no ABV burn.

Another great Lost Abbey beer that I probably need more than the quarter of the bottle I had to do justice in a review. In particular, the barrel imparts plenty of complexity that takes time to unpack.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 00:59:31 | More by spicelab

danieelol

Australia

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Thanks to mulder1010

Pours reddish with clearly almost no carbonation.

Nose was all strawberry jam and decadent vanilla oak. Some vinegar but well integrated and hidden. Cherries came across too.

Taste was similarly decadent.

Was very, very low in carb; almost absent, but I didn't even notice while drinking it. The alcohol in this beer was also extremely well concealed- drank much lower than it actually was.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 14:39:21 | More by danieelol

LSUPT

California

3.73/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

375ml bottle, 2011 vintage thanks to HopsSchnapps, poured to a Lost Abbey tumbler.

Dark brown with red edges from the cherries. The appearance is the only indication that this was ever a Belgian dark ale. No head or lacing.

Smells of cherries, funk, a bit of malt, candi sugar and slight alcohol. Taste is great. On par with a good kriek. Big sour cherry flavor and very tart on the back of the tongue. Dark fruit, plum, raisin, tanins, oak, slight alcohol. Just a hint of carbonation and full body.

Overall, a very good beer. I've certainly had better american wilds but I really enjoy the cherries in this one, a very nice American interpretation of a kriek.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 02:03:04 | More by LSUPT

BeerAndBourbon

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 batch. Stored at cellar temp.

A. Pours a dark brown/ black with amber edges when held up to the light. Opened with a tiny fizz; pours with just a wisp of a teeny tiny bubble ring around the fringe.

S. Tons of oakiness with vanilla and tart cherries. Some red wine tannins with ample sweetness. An almost artificial tartness comes out with agitation. I know the base beer should be adding some nice dark fruits, but I can't really find them anywhere.

T. The essence of dark cherry fruit is there, but the tartness is mostly missing while it sits on your tongue. Some chocolate is in the mix. Definite red wine tannins on the back of your tongue. The tartness is actually most apparent in the aftertaste. As it warms some figs come out in the flavor.

M. Very viscous with incredibly low carbonation. This just sits around on your tongue.

D. Very wine-like. I went in expecting a lighter more refreshing offering, which is not what I got. This sits heavy on the palate and demands prolonged attention. It's got a tartness to it, but it's not overly acidic. Those Californians do have a knack for making the most wine-like beers.

I tossed the second half into the freezer to see what the beer is like very chilled. The aroma is much more muddled, but similar with less oak and more cherry. The tartness is more apparent on the tongue, but I think people are mistaking tannins for tartness; they're admittedly much more similar when the beer is very chilled. I like that the beer isn't quite as heavy this way, but overall I prefer this at cellar temp.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 23:18:20 | More by BeerAndBourbon

ehammond1

California

4.6/5  rDev +9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2009)

(Aged for 2 years)

Thanks for sharing, Nathan!

A murky dark brown, bordering on black, with a very thin light brown head. Leaves spots of lacing down the glass.

An incredibly rich and complex aroma: tart sourness, rich and sweet cherries, earth and wood, some vanilla, and other dark fruits like raisins, prunes, and figs complement the rest of the beer incredibly well.

Sweet cherries are the first thing on the palette, along with a blisteringly tart sourness, Brett funk, along with some mild roast and char, and a warming, complementary wood and vanilla backbone. Exceptional.

Medium bodied with ample carbonation.

One of my favorite beers ever. This was a very good year. I would love to try another 2009 at some point.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 23:13:00 | More by ehammond1

UnknownKoger

California

3.55/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

375 purchased from Whole Foods. Tried this on tap at Sourfest and wasn't impressed, but I'm giving it a second try.

The cork was very unrelenting, but when I finally got it out, there was no pop. Pretty low carbonation, but an aggressive pour gets the bubbles going.

Appearance is a dark brown. Smell is intense of cherries. Very sweet and fragrant. It's making my mouth water.

The taste is decent. The sweetness of the cherries and the raisins is definitely there, but the lack of high carbonation is making this not as enjoyable for me.

Mouthfeel is fine. Considering it's 11%, the beer goes down very smooth.

Overall, I wasn't impressed by this beer once, and again I'm not overly impressed. Framboise de Amarosa and DDG are such outstanding sour ales from Lost Abbey. Not for me, but I'm obviously in the minority.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 01:16:01 | More by UnknownKoger

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.65/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle poured into a goblet. Thanks to Ynot2 for this bottle.

Appearance - Deep murky reddish brown body. An aggressive pour yields a good size head, which I suppose I should be grateful for, considering the Lost Abbey reputation.

Smell - Mostly cherries. Tart and a bit of funk to start. Behind the initial tartness is a nice vanilla and slight bourbon flavor. I probably only taste the bourbon since it said bourbon on the label, though. What I do like is how the tartness returns in the finish.

Mouthfeel - Nice carbonation, surprise! I kinda don't like how dry it is in the finish, but such is the loss of drinking sours.

Overall - Delicious beer. I would like more of the original quad to come through, but as a sour it is near perfection.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 03:49:11 | More by Alieniloquium

BdubleEdubleRUN

California

4.2/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 bottle.
A-Pours a very hazy dark reddish brown, with an aggressive pour creates a few bubbles that fade quickly.
S- Vinegar, malt, oak, a certain sour aroma
T- Tart fruits, vinegar, cherries, bourbon, vanilla, red wine grapes.
M-Low carbed, medium body.
O-Would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 03:00:25 | More by BdubleEdubleRUN

cjacobsen

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to sweemzander for cracking this one!

2009 small bottle.

(A) Dark ruby, almost brown. No head. Looks flat.

(S) Smells of cherry and sour tartness. Light sugars. Some raisin.

(T) There's a decent amount of raisin in the front of the taste. The raisin blends with cherry to give it some weight. There's a lot of dark fruits and some vinegar. There is a hint of red/dark grape toward the end.

(M) It's pretty flat, but it's forgivable. Very smooth and somewhat oily.

(O) It's a lot like beefed up juice. It's really good but not as tart as I had expected.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 00:57:54 | More by cjacobsen

harrymel

Washington

2.48/5  rDev -41.2%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Most recent release: 2010 Blend (I believe)

A: after requiring a crab claw to grip this bitch of a cork and pull out, I finally pop this one only to find the beer does not even toot out the tip of this cork. So I pour it, then it lands in the glass, rolls around and simply sits. No bubbles. No head. I can get a nice reddish brown color when light comes through.

S: Cherries, oak, hint of vanilla, tannic and inky nose. Tart. Sometimes smells like laser ink toner.

T: Very woody, very cherry, very oak. Tannic at the finish. Hints of bitter manure flavor on the back end as well. Quite sour I guess I should mention. Some hints of plum as the beer warms a bit.

M: There is a hint of carbonation here. Pretty warm as well from the alcohol. Thick slick on the finish after my body restores from the dryness initially.

O: Well, it's sour. It's low in carbonation. It's hot. It's got potential. Just not my bag. Still pretty pathetic for carbonation, but at least it's not infected (per se).

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 15:04:38 | More by harrymel

Brew33

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Received this beer via trade with BitterBill. Thanks Bill!

I was lucky enough to get a 2009 Vintage with proper carb. The cork made a very slight pop upon extraction.

The appearance was nothing to write home about. Muddy dark red/brown in color. A thin layer of bubbles along the edge of the glass.

The aroma was really nice. Dark fruits, brown sugar, tart cherries, red wine, oak, leather, and a little bit of Brett. Very complex and interesting.

The taste was perfectly in line with all the aromas but a little off. It was a little hot and didn't taste quite as complex as the nose would lead me to believe. The bourbon barrels impart little bourbon flavor. Just a subdued Oakiness. I would have liked this beer to have a little bit better marriage of sweet and tart. The tart aspects of the beer are in your face! Very sour at times while the sweetness and alcohol are very forward as well. This is an intense experience! The mouthfeel was a little lacking. A touch more carb would be a good thing as this beer can feel big and chewy at times.

Overall, I'm very happy I was able to try this beer and I can say for sure I've never had another beer quite like this. I think it could be tweaked a little more to get it just right but all in all, this is a very interesting, very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 17:53:50 | More by Brew33

Janderson91

Alabama

3.8/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 3.5

Got a bottle at The Porter Beer Bar in Atlanta, GA. Not sure of the bottling date. Enjoyed on 07/20/11.

A - Hoping for a nice "pop" when the cork is removed, but of course, I'm disappointed. Poured into a Lost Abbey tumbler. Pours an opaque muddy brown or very dark red color with absolutely no head whatsoever. Leaves no lacing.

S - Dark fruits, cherries, wood, tannins, vanilla and some funky and vinegar aroma also. Smells good.

T - Starts out sweet with some malt and the vanilla from the barrel, then recedes to a good oak and cherry tartness with some sweetness from the raisins as well. Finish is all cherries and lingers or a while with no carbonation.

M - The mouthfeel is just awful. No carbonation at all which I think is necessary for a good wild.

O - Overall, this beer has a lot of potential and could be excellent with the proper carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 00:06:33 | More by Janderson91