Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien - BFM Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes

jwinship83

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml capped bottle. 2008 vintage, bottled 2009. drank from my duvel tulip.

A- the beer pours out a murky/hazy copper meets red colored body with a few light beige colored bubbles for a head. the head quickly fizzles away to nothing and leaves behind a very thin single line of lacing on the side of my glass.

S- as soon as i get my nose near my glass i become alerted that this is a wild beer. a decent amount of barnyard like funk meets vinegar/lactic notes. tart cherries and grapes come in after that. earthy hops at the end. very complex. im getting excited.

T- the taste starts out with some fruity malts and quickly brings forth the wet hay/barnyard funk that reminds me that this is a wild ale. tart cherries spring forth after that, along with a lesser amount of grapes. mild vinegar and acetone notes. earthy hops move in at the end.

M- lightly puckering. the carbonation is on the lighter side which really works in this beer's favor. the body is a solid medium.

O- this is one of the most unknown/under-appreciated beers on the market. it lurks in the shadows of beer stores in the know just to get picked up by people like me. if you havnt tried it and have the option, pick it up. i think its only $20 for the bottle. if you dont know where to get it, ask your local beer store's beer guy to order it. you wont be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 05:11:18 | More by jwinship83

dirtylou

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

05-20-2013 00:43:02 | More by dirtylou

beerloverofbham

Washington

4.51/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed at Brouwer's Sour Fest. Served in a snifter. Review from notes.
Color is a dark orange, like well-oiled saddle leather. Smells of bleu cheese and oak shavings. Very delicate on the palate, with no sweetness and only mildly sour. Lots of funk. Tastes of oak, cherries, and grapefruit bitterness. Little mouthfeel and no lacing. Very complex--probably other things I'm unable to put my finger on.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2013 08:25:11 | More by beerloverofbham

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-17-2013 02:17:40 | More by HuskyinPDX

danipp

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -6.3%

05-14-2013 02:19:20 | More by danipp

CTJman

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-10-2013 19:24:52 | More by CTJman

anhigdon

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

05-10-2013 19:16:59 | More by anhigdon

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-08-2013 02:04:33 | More by cadaugherty

mPaxtonS

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-05-2013 14:12:15 | More by mPaxtonS

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.73/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

375ml bottle served in a snifter glass.

2011 Edition.

A: Pours a light and bit fuzzy amber color forming a small yellow bubbled head witb small retention and only few spotty lacings left in the glass

S: Absolutely delicious in the nose. Sweet grains, wood, grapes, wild yeasts. A bit sour and vinegar but not agressive

T: Slightly sweet upfront. Fruity and woody. Notes of sweet malts, dark fruits, mainly grapes. Wild Lambic like yeasts. In overall a slightly sweet sour beer. Hops bitterness is also there to make it perfect

M: Medium molasses body. Low carbonation. Sour aftertaste

O: Excellent drinkability. Perfect beer. Close to a Flanders Red Ale, I would dare. Even better than the 2010 version

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 06:58:33 | More by eduardolinhalis

mhaugo

California

3.5/5  rDev -18%

04-26-2013 04:15:06 | More by mhaugo

mhbarber

Virginia

4/5  rDev -6.3%

04-22-2013 12:03:53 | More by mhbarber

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.29/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

2011 Vintage

A: Pours a murky hazy brownish orange in color with a light amount of visible carbonation and a fait amount of brown + golden yellow highlights. The beer has a very thin sudsy light beige head that quickly reduces to a very thin ring at the edges of the glass. Minimal amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of sourness with moderate aromas of grapes, apples, and oak.

T: Upfront there is a light amount of the sweetness of pale malts with moderate to strong flavors of gren grapes and apples. Light to moderate flavors of oak from the barrel aging and a moderate amount of sourness.

M: On the lighter side of medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. LIght to moderate amounts of acidic prickliness and a lightly dry finish.

O: Both the complexity and the strength of the smell/taste of this beer really intensify as the beers warms up. Quite enjoyable and a nice palate cleanser in the middle of a good bottle share.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 19:05:12 | More by dbrauneis

Etan

Illinois

4.21/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2006 bottle into a tulip.

A: Pours an opaque walnut color with a soft light beige head.

S: Light acetic character, cherry, deep cooked caramel maltiness, plenty of smooth oak tannins, a bit of lactic acidity.

T: More tart cherry, floral, caramelized grain, pleasant vinous notes from the barrel, slight brett gaminess, toffee, a bit of mild oxidation, a hint of warming alcohol in the throat.

M: Medium-bodied with active carbonation.

O: This is pretty nice. Pleasant barrel character with a good balance between the maltiness and acidity. I have a feeling a fresh bottle would be even better, but this has not aged badly at all.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 02:23:32 | More by Etan

halo913

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

04-14-2013 15:23:25 | More by halo913

xgeneralzodx

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

04-12-2013 00:45:07 | More by xgeneralzodx

Atomicskis5

Connecticut

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

04-11-2013 02:02:18 | More by Atomicskis5

nzerbe

New York

5/5  rDev +17.1%

04-06-2013 12:52:27 | More by nzerbe

MarkyMOD

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

03-26-2013 02:36:40 | More by MarkyMOD

Sparky44

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

03-26-2013 02:23:30 | More by Sparky44

slainte35

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

03-15-2013 18:04:07 | More by slainte35

Resuin

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

03-10-2013 03:00:59 | More by Resuin

tdm168

North Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to jtd1969 for this pretty incredible share.

A - murky brownish amber with a thin, off white head that leaves good lacing

S - tart, cherries, fruity

T - sour cherry, oak, woody, a bit lactic, tart, alcohol

M - full bodied, warm, well carbonated

This was a really nice beer. I haven't had many in this style, but I found this beer to be very complex and yet approachable. I was impressed with it's depth and character. This was a nice beer sit around and sip on amongst friends. This is probably a beer everyone should try.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 01:39:19 | More by tdm168

Seaba

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

02-28-2013 14:54:36 | More by Seaba

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.39/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

With the taste of the '11 Grand Cru lingering on my memory, those flavors are so exhilarating that this standard Abbey de Saint Bon-Chien is drawing me like a moth to the flame. But this '06 vintage rewards me with its brightness and none of the burn.

Much like the Grand Cru, the beer pours a modestly carbonated hazy rust color, revealing reds, browns, purples, and mauve highlights when held to the light. Its tawny appearance releases the daintiest of foam structures that deflate from the acidity and alcohol beneath. With little to discuss in the retention and lacing department, the beer is left to look like wine.

Mouthwatering aromas abound with fruit, wine, spice, and must. Sour cherries, grapes, apples, figs, dates, and apricots strike the nose with a forceful scent. Backed by notes of Balsamic vinegar, sherry wine, and Merlot-type tangy notes the beer is savory and rich to go along with its strong acidity. Earthy tones of dried limes, leather, weathered oak, cellar musk, tobacco, and sea air keep the aromas varying and inciting.

The taste of all that sour and musty fruit that pierces the taste buds with sharp flavors that accompany dried wood, earthy sea brine, figs and dates, tobacco and leather- and all woven together by savory balsamic and sherry. It's a sublime taste that at first seems too intense with sourness, but is then softened by mature fruit sweetness. Other intangible complements to the beer reveal almonds, vanilla, and light caramel and seem to alternate with each sip.

Its elegant textures are sharp on the palate at first but then softened by ghost of maltiness that soothes the palate against vinegar-like acidity. Wood spices offer some astringency and gives the beer an almost-peppery finish. Surprisingly, the warmth of eleven percent is hardly felt as it is tightly woven into the acidic notes.

This sultry ale is a culinary delight on all fronts: it's savory, sweet, sour, and salty. Highly satisfying to taste, the beer is mature, surly, and unpredictable all at once. I simply cannot get enough of it!

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 20:02:56 | More by BEERchitect