Mo' Betta Bretta - The Lost Abbey

TheLostGringo

Connecticut

1.95/5  rDev -45.7%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

375ml C&C bottle poured into a Hill Farmstead glass.

A: Pours a hazy light orange, with about a 1/2 inch head from a careful pour. some carbonation that bubbles up from the bottom.

S: Sweaty Feet or old gym socks, could think of nothing else. Revolting and unappealing.

T: Almost nothing noticeable very boring and one dimensional.

M: Thin and watery.

O: Absolute garbage, can't believe their are some half-way decent reviews of this beer. I know taste is subjective, blah.. blah.. blah..

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 13:52:46 | More by TheLostGringo

draheim

Washington

3.55/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

375mL (bottled 5/23/2012) into a tulip. Pours a clear coppery orange w/ a 1-finger white head, lively carb, a few floaties from the sediment at the bottom.

Aroma is sweet and fruity, a little bready. Indistinct.

Taste likewise has a fruity character - apricots maybe. Fruit juice, seems like there's some watered-down candi sugar sweetness too. Malt is a tad grainy. What I'm not getting is anything resembling Brett yeast.

Mouthfeel is thin, and a tad prickly from the carbonation.

Overall a pretty disappointing, bland beer. I don't get what this bee was supposed to be.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 05:14:35 | More by draheim

ngeunit1

California

4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy golden-orange with a finger of frothy white head. Fades fairly slowly.

S - Funky and tart brett and other yeasts, citrus zest, vanilla, wheat, farmhouse smells.

T - Funky Brett and other yeasts, tart green fruits, lemon and other citrus zest, wheat, vanilla, farmhouse flavors.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a funky and tart finish.

D - Good wild ale. A bit on the light side.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 21:33:27 | More by ngeunit1

benfons

Belgium

3.14/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A: No head what so ever, hazy colour, light orange colour

S: lots of honey, hints of citrus and banana, no hops and only a very slight hint of yeast

T: not as sweet as you'd expect, some bitterness, some tart, , more yeasts but somehow this doesn't really work for me

M: undercarbonated, rather dry, more alcoholic than you would expect

O: Doesnt work for me, not balanced,undercarbonated, not an attractive beer

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 14:02:59 | More by benfons

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.01/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Received this earlier this year from Doppelbockulus in a great trade... Thanks Charley!!

Pours dark golden... looks like apple juice and the light carbonation and nearly nonexistent head solidifies that image.

Nose is grainy with the brett showing only as some light lemon and dusty/grassy notes... really fruity and sweet with warmth.

Flavor is pretty much the same with an underlying sorta fruity sweetness... apple and perhaps apricot.

Very light carbonation ... bubbles only really show on the tongue.

Just not very good. Seems like a BSPA with only the lightest Brett character.

3.25/3/3/3/3

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 05:14:19 | More by JohnGalt1

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.69/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Wanted to wait a while to crack this, but I have a couple other bottles so might as well have it while it's not too old and try it first.

Pours a light fizzy head despite tons of bubbles, little lacing, crazy hazy murky sediment filled yeast chunked golden straw honey colored beer.

Nose has some funk, light horsehair funk, lemony, lemon balm like, light floral spices, little fruity and tart fruit, light wheat and grassy aromas, fairly fruity overall.

Taste starts with a somewhat sweet malt bite, sweet golden malts and candi sugar, a nice golden Belgian malt flavor esp with the candi sugar gives a nice Belgian feel overall. Smooth malts turn to light funk, just a touch of funk overall but a decent fruit base, tart pear and lemony, grassy and wheat flavors again, straw, grainy a bit, nice and fluffy and a bit effervescent. Finish is sticky and somewhat sweet but mostly dry, gritty, light tart lemony fruit, little floral grassy and fruity.

mouth is med to lighter bodied, plenty of effervescent carb, little gritty.

Overall not bad, but nothing like I expected, very little funk, a bit fruity but not a lot of tartness, more like a decent Belgian ale with a faint hint of funk.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 02:37:04 | More by jlindros

Rainier

California

3.5/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Very mediocre beer for me. I can't believe I could smell a little funkiness but I expected a lot more from this considering it's a 100% brett fermented beer. It tasted similar to Duvel but I think Duvel was still better. For the price I paid, totally not worth it. I shouldn't have gotten 2 bottles. I guess I will just cellar the other and hope the funkiness will be more present the next time I drink it.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 06:13:18 | More by Rainier

jjamadorphd

Florida

4.59/5  rDev +27.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

While on travel for work I decided to visit the bar in the hotel I was staying at, in LA. I decided to see if they had anything exotic and was surprised to find they place had over 50 beers to choose from. So, I decided to just pick something made in California and came across this Mo' Betta Bretta stuff - wow - was I impressed.

The beer arrives packed as though it were wine, with a cork and all. Once you fight the thing off, you end up pouring a beautiful golden ichor of liquid - very appealing to the eyes. The beer pours a nice white head, little staying power with minimal lacing. Nonetheless, it looks good in the glass. It's smell is unlike anything else I have every tasted - hints of orange, cinnamon, other citrus smells assail your nose. The mouthfeel was just about perfect in terms of the carbonation and an aftertaste that was made me want to beg for more. The taste was also exceptional - a perfect blend of oranges, coriander, spice, and other flavors wells mixed in - this is not a fruit/vegetable beer folks - it's the real deal done right.

Overall, I think this is the highest rating I have given a beer to date. I would definitely buy more of these and I'm trying to figure out a way to take a six pack home with me before my time in Cali is up.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 06:26:13 | More by jjamadorphd

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

If the intent was to brew a Belgian style ale with a pleasant orange citrus character, understated carbonation, then they did it spot on. Smooth mouthfeel. Decent drinkability with food. If this moderately bretted ale qualifies as a wild ale, then there are funkier beers around not listed as wild ales. Thanks Robert Bland for hooking me up.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 02:47:37 | More by northyorksammy

sweemzander

Illinois

3.89/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

375mL corked and caged bottle poured into a tulip.

(A)- Pours a clear apricot orange color. Produced a nice cap of white froth. Good retention and lacing too.

(S)- Very very dry overall. Bits of hay and barnyard funk. Very subtle floral notes. Even hints of sawdust (a bit weird, but not off-putting).

(T)- Like the smell, the overall dryness of this is really in your face. The Brett is obvious, but mostly present in a dry hay sense; ever so minimal funk. Extremely subtle underlying sweetness to it.

(M)- A good carbonation level and balance. Despite how dry this is, it is quite thirst quenching due to its lighter body and crisp feel. Very minimal bitterness as it warmed.

(O)- I like it, but to me, is extremely similar to Vivant's Escoffier. Definitely enjoyable, just not THAT unique and perhaps a bit more expensive than what you actually get.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 19:19:41 | More by sweemzander

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to DaveHack for opening this one. The beer poured out at a hazy golden yellow color with a thin white fizzy head on top. The retention and lacing were decent. The smell of the beer is very mild for a wild ale. There really isn't a lot of funk of sour notes on the nose of this. Instead I get some fresh wheat aromas and other grains. The taste has a very subtle funkiness to it with some soft grain flavors and minimal bitterness. The mouthfeel of the beer is light bodied, smooth and fairly refreshing. Overall I was surprised by how subtle this beer ended up being. Not bad, not great though either.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 01:56:08 | More by Knapp85

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

2.25/5  rDev -37.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Gold with a sassy lilly pad of white foam on top. Fast fleeing foam that is. Cute bottle with cute bottle art.

Smells like musty sweet tarts and corn chips. Maybe some mild rye-like spice but I may be reaching.

Like not as sweet white grape juice with no discernible brett. Not as wild as I was hoping for. Not really wild at all. Kinda tastes like a Harpoon IPA from the cooler that's been in the basement since last beach season and all the hops have faded out and the crystal sweetness is gone and you wonder why you wanted to try it in the first place except that this time it's supposed to tasted like that (I'm guessing) and it's $10 for a cute little bottle that you bought because of the cute frogs.

Mo betta is better than no bretta but not by much.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 00:44:40 | More by donkeyrunner

spoony

Colorado

3.61/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From a 375 ml bottle (brewed on May 24, 2012) into a tulip.

A-A zealous pour produced three fingers of shiny white foam that steadily drops into a ring around the edge of the glass. No real lacing is left behind. The brew is cloudy and pale in color with a light amber hue.

S-The smell is a sweet mixture of tropic banana, lemongrass, a touch of straw, and a little bit of brett funkiness. The funkiness comes through here, but without much sour/acidic power like you might expect.

T-Taste tracks the smell, but is much less, uh, interesting. The brew is definitely sweet with candy sugar flavors accompanied by some lemon and vague tropical fruitiness. Doughy malts also make an appearance. No sour components here.

M-The beer was on the flat side, which gave it a watery, heavy feel.

O-For those BAs looking for a brett bomb, look elsewhere, because this isn't it. Instead, this brew is a mutt with aspects of a sour, a tripel, a saison, and a wit beer (and perhaps other styles) all mixing (and mostly competing) with one another for your taste buds. This is not a bad tasting beer, but I don't know when I would drink this again or how I would pair this with food.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 05:30:31 | More by spoony

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.85/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a Lost Abbey teku. Quite bland. Low carbonation. Touch of peach. Fairly dry. Hopefully this gets better with an increased presence. The aged version from Pizza Port was phenomenal.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 03:20:21 | More by Thorpe429

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottled 3/24/12
(Served in a tulip glass)

A- This beer pours a slightly hazy dense orange body with the second pour being chucky. There is a light beige thick meniscus of head that is supported by strands of microbubbles.

S- The aroma of boiled corn has a slightly sweet yeast aroma in the finish.

T- The over cooked corn taste has a slightly sweet green hops candy hint the turns into a pale malt sweetness as the beer opens up.

M- The medium-light mouthfeel has a slippery texture and no alcohol heat.

O- I’m glad I got to try this beer as it is a very interesting experiment but I didn’t care for the cooked corn flavor at all. I really like brett when it is aged in Belgian beers and perhaps a different strand of Brett would be more enjoyable but this one was tough to get through.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 22:14:15 | More by rhoadsrage

scottfrie

California

3.45/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

375ml bottle into block15 snifter.

A: Pours a lightly hazy apricot color with two fingers of fuzzy white head that faded into a lasting film and collar.
S: Brett forward with hints of citrus, peach, pepper, candied sugar, earthy spices, straw, clove, banana, wheat, chalk and minerals. Smells clean, sweet, and earthy.
T: Follows the nose with sugary sweet flavors of stone fruits mixed with bretty spices. Minerals, lemony citrus, pepper and chalk bring up the rear, with a lingering yeasty banana-clove taste in the aftertaste. Sweeter than I like, with a characteristic NB taste to it.
M: Airy bubbly frothy carbonation, medium-full body, greasy and sweet mouthfeel.
O: Good brett flavors but too sweet for me to love. If it was drier I'd dig it a lot more. Not bad though, better than the NB version.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 02:08:25 | More by scottfrie

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Aroma is fruity, mainly pear with hints of lemon and tangerine, plus yeasty and malty undertones. Pours a fairly hazy amber with a fluffy and rather persistent white head. The bottle popped when I opened it, but at least I didn’t have a miniature Old Faithful. Flavor fills the palate with fruit, apple, pear and tangerine, plus malt and yeast notes and just a whisper of butterscotch. Lively, fizzy texture has good, firm body and leaves a tingling fruity, malty finish that carries a butterscotch hint. Get knee-deep knee-deep knee-deep in this beer!

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 23:30:32 | More by Cyberkedi

Gobzilla

California

3.43/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: poured a translucent golden straw yellow in color with pale yellow highlights and a half finger of bubbly head that left little wisps of lacing sticking to the glass.

S: some brett funk for sure was in the aroma but was very potent on the various grains used plus wheat, a little honey, hints of hops, lemon citrus present and malt sweetness.

T: mostly various grains to me upfront on the palate with hints of bretty funk, lemony citrus accents, sweet honey flavor, slight spice, wheat notes coming through, plenty of malty sweetness and some underlying green hops.

M: the brew was light to medium in body with fair amount of carbonation which had a sweet, grainy, slightly bretty, citrusy, mild spice and crisp finish.

O: I honestly thought it was going to be way tastier than it was but maybe it just needs some time to develop; Oh well can't win'em all.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 08:15:38 | More by Gobzilla

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: A bronze-orange coloring has a whirling amount of effervesce with some cloudiness and micro-particulate matter about. A chalky white head is sudsy and thin in stance not lasting very long while the lacing was bare.

S: Nose of muted oranges and wheat. None to funky, quite restrained with some indications of fresh wet grass.

T: Flavor of citric oranges and wheat. Flowery wet green hops and wet bread make up the general flavor with some hints of dried tropical fruitiness and dried honey. Some sweet grain juice comes on the close.

M: Bubbly carbonation, bready feel, heavy on the tongue with a flowery dried tropical leave off the tongue.

O: Overall the funk is very limited here, a bit of a dissapointment if your a fan of lost abbey with expectations of thier other beers. Fairly good but clearly not distinguishable. More of a bottle fermented strain of brett which is weaker and not as dominant.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 00:41:41 | More by beerthulhu

bonkers

New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I poured from a bottle into a snifter, hazy , straw colored pour, slight head. The aroma is light hay, lemon, barnyard. It has flavors of lemon, slight funk, drying finish. The body is medium, slight carbonation. A very underwhelming beer. It is underwhelming, was expecting more funk from a 100% brett beer. IMO taste like a very average saison. This beer is a pass, especially at 20 bucks a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 01:04:59 | More by bonkers

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks to Doodler for sending this as an extra in a recent trade! Thanks Scott!

poured into tulip glass.

Appearance: full pour get a little bit of yeast into the beer off the bottle of the bottle. Slightly hazy yellow bodied beer with a solid 1 finger of head. Drops quickly to a thin cap.

Smell: Smells like a really heavy wheat beer and a little bit like a saison. Got some fruitiness in the nose I would say bananas. Wheat malts. That really all thats going on in the nose.

Taste: Wierd! Its actually sweet upfront! Did not expect that... Its a honey and wheat note to start this beer off. Also the fruitiness from the bananas mixes with some pineeapples. You get some citrus in the middle. It does finally get to a hint of musty and earthy funk, but you really gotta search for it. Finishes with sweet wheat malts and honey and a touch of lemon tartness that does not stick around for very long.

Mouthfeel: low end of a medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. Easy drinking here. Crisp yet soft carbonation in this beer with a semi dry finish.

Overall: Not at all what you would expect for a Wild Ale. This is by far the sweetest Wild Ale that I have ever drank. I think that this beer should be classifed as a Saison and not a Wild ale. While the Appearance and Mouthfeel are solid in this beer, the taste and smell are not living up to expectations of this beer style its listed under.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 21:29:03 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

Viciousknishs

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- pours a brassy golden color with three fingers of stark white head. Ok head retention.

S- toasty honey toned maltiness in the nose with a good amount of breadiness. Musty Brett character with notes of pineapple,musty earthiness and white stone fruit comes out as well.

T- fairly sweet brew. Malt gives off notes of honey, powdered sugar and cookie. Juicy peach and apricot mid palate. Finishes with a soft Brett character of pineapple, musty earth and very faint tartness.

MF- round full mouthfeel with a medium body. Soft carbonation.

D- very drinkable brew

Overall a good wild ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 03:34:29 | More by Viciousknishs

HosP

Indiana

3.35/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got a bottle thanks to scottfrie. Poured into tulip glass.

Pours nice bold Orange in color. Large bubbly, fluffy white head. Leaves quick with almost no trace. Nose is very subtle. Some bready, doughy, earthy notes. Very mild aroma. Maybe a little spice at the end. Tastes follows the nose. Thought this was a American wild ale? No hint of anything funky at all. Get some breadth malts, mild spices. Hint of banana maybe. Still flavors a little muted but still go well together. Lighter body. A little more carbonation than expected. Was expecting some funkiness, a little sourness. Didn't get much. The thing is its still good and drinkable. It's just not what I was hoping or expecting. Still glad to try it. thanks Scott!

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 02:01:30 | More by HosP

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12.7 oz bottle was poured into a large snifter. I have never seeen it before and a sour collaboration beer sounded good. Can't wait to see how funky and sinky this beer is.

Appearance: This beer poured a one finger head that has reduced to a thin layer. It is a cloudy straw yellow that is very hazy and some vivid signs of carbonation coming up through the glass.

Smell: vanilla, spices, bready malts, apple, yeasty esters, earthiness, and some slight tart and funky notes. More on the side of tripel instead of Brett infested beer. Still smells good though.

Taste: All of the above blended well together, but one thing was missing. The funk. Where did it go and dit it dissapear through the cork. Extremely strange even though the beer is tasty for what it is.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, a bit light and watery, medium carbonation, and medium bodied.

Overall: Not as much funk as one would think. Tastes like an average tripel that was trying to taste like an AWA. Very enjoyable, but not what I was expecting.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 03:46:39 | More by Flounder57

KDawg

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into a tulip. Pours a hazy medium orange color with a foamy head.

There is a nice tartness to all of the aromas along with lemon peels, funk, and some citrus as well.

Medium bodied with a solid feel. Kind of lacking on the mid, but has a nice dry finish along with notes of lemon peels and citrus. The flavors are on the tart side.

A nice wild ale. This probably could've used more age as it was more subtle tartness than outright funk.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 19:07:38 | More by KDawg