Spike & Jérôme’s Cuvée Délirante (Collaboration Ale) - BFM Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

2.8/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 1.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

33cl swing-top bottle poured into a snifter glass.

Pours a glazey, syrupy, translucent dark reddish-brown. Absolutely no head. None. Two or three bubbles along the edge hint that this might have once been carbonated. Looks stagnant and thick. Absolutely coats the inside of the glass when agitating, but no legs form. Pretty ridiculous.

Big sour nose with smacks of vinegar, oakiness from the barrel aging, sour apple/pucker, sweetness of alcohol (perhaps the rum?), a little funky; aromas not dissimilar to an American Wild--aromas unbecoming of any kind of a barleywine (I'm sure that big malt backbone will come through in the taste). No need to fret, I saw this coming; the descriptions said so, and I can read. And, to be honest, it smells pretty delicious.

Okay, either I have an infected bottle, or this is one of the top three strangest beers I have ever had in my life. Alright, check this out... very thin taste with an emphasis on the rye malts used. The barrel aging is there, sort of, but strangely enough the alcohol is not. Like, at all. It's almost gone. I know that seems impossible. It's extremely smooth, but thin. Okay, I'm going back and smelling it again and I'm getting a lot of bitter liqueur, like Campari or Bitter Kas (for those who know what I mean by that). Back to the taste, again. It's warming up. The malt is getting bigger, and there is glimpses of the alcohol. Very vinous, like a full-bodied uber-dry red wine. I want to give it at least a 3.0, but... I just can't. I'm seriously speechless. I kind of like the way this tastes. I wonder if my other bottle is different.

Way thick, not sticky, but glossy and thick. It doesn't feel bad for being full-bodied, but very strange for having no carbonation. This is off in some sort of way.

Overall, I'm enjoying drinking something so off-balance and wacky. I don't like calling this a barleywine or a 'barleyryne' or whatever. For a different style, I'd rate it higher. It's not that I dislike this beer, it's just way off-style and... just off (still not counting out the possibility of infection here). Not a drain-pour by any means, actually I like working on this one. I just can't put this one at average.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 02:40:53 | More by thecheapies

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3/5  rDev -16%

05-22-2013 01:19:13 | More by mikeincharleston

dapatte2

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -16%

05-15-2013 01:57:36 | More by dapatte2

irish01980

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -2%

05-15-2013 00:21:48 | More by irish01980

TheBishopco

Tennessee

3.5/5  rDev -2%

04-18-2013 17:58:14 | More by TheBishopco

Alek

California

1.75/5  rDev -51%

03-20-2013 02:27:15 | More by Alek

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +19%

03-19-2013 02:06:33 | More by mendvicdog

halo913

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +26.1%

03-09-2013 19:14:40 | More by halo913

bum732

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +26.1%

03-02-2013 18:00:15 | More by bum732

match1112

Illinois

1/5  rDev -72%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

the 11.4oz swing top made a noticable hiss as it swung open so i know it wasn't completely flat. despite that, there are no signs of life to this beer as it pours out into the cup. body is a dark murky brown with some reddish hues around the top edges.

the nose is very sweet and jelly like, reminds me of jello shots when they're in liquid stage. the taste is horrid, this could be the worst beer i've ever had. overly sweet with a flat stale juice flavor to it. there is a noticable alcohol presence to it, but it doesnt have any hints of rum or oak to it, jkust over the top sweetness.

mouthfeel is completely flat and sticky. like i mentioned earlier, there is some alcohol burn to it. overall this is just nasty. i'm at a loss of words for how truly horrid this beer is.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 23:37:20 | More by match1112

JDavidRice

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -16%

02-07-2013 23:56:35 | More by JDavidRice

Riverared

Alabama

1/5  rDev -72%

01-26-2013 22:03:51 | More by Riverared

CJS

Florida

3/5  rDev -16%

01-22-2013 21:07:42 | More by CJS

alamode

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -16%

01-19-2013 16:02:50 | More by alamode

spycow

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -2%

01-18-2013 04:42:46 | More by spycow

westcoastbeerlvr

California

2.75/5  rDev -23%

01-09-2013 00:13:54 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

beernads

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -2%

01-05-2013 10:39:28 | More by beernads

cocojoe

Oregon

3.48/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Murky brown with reddish hues to it

S: Caramel, toffee, Funky, tart, alcohol, cheesy quality, Oud Bruin like

T: Smoothe, sweet, caramel, very tart, dry, those same oud bruin like qualities are there. Can tell that the big barley wine body is there, with a different yeast quality. Tannic notes as well.

M: Dry, Tart, Full Body

O: Really Interesting. A lot of things going on. Barley wine, very tart, sweet, and dry. Would definitely drink again though.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 10:34:44 | More by cocojoe

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this beer into a snifter to maximize the aroma off this blended ale.

Off the top I pick up a decent amount of sour off the top. This is a very rich smell with lots of fruit in there (like cherry and dark fruit). I would say that this carries more of the biere de Garde style to the bouquet.

The flavor is rich as well. I like the way that this biere lingers in the mouth.

I was lucky to have found this at a liquor store about six months ago. I think I opened it at the perfect time to maximize the flavor and nose.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 18:12:32 | More by ummswimmin

skaboom420

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +5%

12-21-2012 16:44:35 | More by skaboom420

larbush

Illinois

4/5  rDev +12%

12-08-2012 20:02:50 | More by larbush

brbrocc

New York

3/5  rDev -16%

12-08-2012 19:59:41 | More by brbrocc

Bung

North Carolina

2.2/5  rDev -38.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Little flip top. Nearly becalmed, thick apple cider brown pour.

Aroma, there is some faint sour here. Check that, pretty potent vinegar. Faint caramel behind it.

Taste, Cider and red wine vinegar. There is more oaky malt here, but not much more. Some sherry. Faint cocoa finish, but the vinegar lingers.

It's pretty heavy, nice for a barleywine, but there is not enough carbonation for the sour ale it is. Alcohol is pretty well hidden. I struggled with this little bottle, but if you like and are ready for a sour, this might be nice.

Not undrinkabe, though nearly. More like something you could get from Russian River, like some sort of wild ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 03:25:44 | More by Bung

stewart124

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark ruby red with very little visible carbonation.

Grape and dark candied sugars in the nose.

Slightly sour with little carbonation. Tart without biting. Medium body and zero hops throughout.

Very tasty but not at all what I expected. English barley wine? What's that you say? Was there lactobacillus or brett in that rum barrel? Some spice and hotness from the run I presume. Alcohol is well hidden despite the spice and general hotness. Worth a try if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 01:13:30 | More by stewart124

impending

California

2.48/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

D+

33cl into a tulip. Pours a dull dead cola dirty dishwater, zero head zero lacing zero carbonation.

Aroma is strong with vinous notes, treacly, minor oxidation, lots of dark rum. very nice, it reaches from a distance

Taste is wholly surprising with it's level of sour, unexpected but I can now sense it in the scent. Light bodied lifeless mouthfeel. The rye is obvious and the barrel is obvious but why they call this a barleywine is not.
unworthy of a lengthy description, disappointing
no cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 00:40:08 | More by impending