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

cavedave

New York

4.03/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to BulbMan for yet another stupefyingly yummy beer!

Not a pretty beer, but not terrible for a barleywine. Little carbonation, and a cloudy reddish brown, almost turbid. A swirl leaves some bubbly legs.

Strawberry jam, cider vinegar, raisins, candi, tart yeast, vanilla, and rumcake. Delicious aroma, not what I thought it would be, but it has my saliva glands activating juicily.

Perhaps this is a historic recreation of an EBW, sure not like any I know. It starts with tart yeast, sour fruit, raisins and figs, some light vinegar to it, maybe a bit of wood and vanilla, just a hint of hoppy bitter in there. Sip ends with the tart and sweet elements combining in a wonderful and delicious balance. Alcohol is completely hidden, as well as any beer I've tried. 12%? You must be kidding!!

Very thick, yet easy drinking, interesting and clean flavor profile, very low carb., and a decent, juicy finish.

What an excellent surprise waiting in this growler. Doubtful you will see this one, but if you do go for it, it is a walk on the wild (and delicious) side.

Serving type: growler

12-15-2011 22:10:26 | More by cavedave

MacQ32

South Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +24.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

"In February, a monumental collaboration was taking place at Switzerland’s Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes. Terrapin’s own Spike Buckowski had traveled there to brew a unique barleywine with BFM’s Jerome Rebetez. The beer would consist of 20% rye malt, finish at over 12% ABV and be aged in rum barrels!" Thank you Charleston Beer Exchange!

**I really love sour things but I've never liked wild or sour beers, it is literally the only kind of beer that I cannot get into. I try to review and rate beers keeping an open mind and keeping my reviews relative to the style so I am doing my best to relate it to other wild ales/barley wines. It is hard for me to really enjoy these so I am not the best judge with barley wines/sours**

**After 2 of these and after allowing the beer to warm to would I would guess to be ~50 F I need to come back and adjust my ratings, less funk, more sweet malts/sugars and a mild hop bitterness as well**

A - Pours a muddied brown with moderate caramel colored head (poured aggressively)which dissipates fairly quickly, some lacing left behind as I enjoy.

S - Boozy sour vinegar and caramel for the most part some sweet darker fruits and rum also come through

T - Sour vinegar flavors, caramel, dark fruits (raisins, dates, prunes), semi tart, red wine. a little too funky of a finish for me. I am picking up more sweet tootsie roll like notes and less funk as it continues.

M - Medium to fullish bodied, not as heavy as I would expect at 12.03%. Mild carbonation, a little thick on the pallet

O - Overall, I dont really care for sour ales. That being said, there are several qualities that I do enjoy and appreciate in this beer, the funkyness isn't too overwhelming although its less than desirable to me. I would imagine if you like sour beers this would be a real treat.

Serving type: growler

10-26-2011 22:45:31 | More by MacQ32

match1112

Illinois

1/5  rDev -72.1%
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

cocojoe

Oregon

3.48/5  rDev -2.8%
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 +14.5%
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

Bung

North Carolina

2.2/5  rDev -38.5%
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 +3.4%
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 -30.7%
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

tdm168

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is the US Edition brewed and bottled by Terrapin.

A - dark opaque amber with little head

S - bourbon barrels, baked apples, sugar, vanilla, wood

T - brown sugar, wood, caramel, baked apples, faintly bitter, vanilla, alcohol

M - full bodied, smooth, well carbonated

This is a full flavored, complex barleywine. Each flavor appears as an individual at first. As the beer warms there is a little cohesion and balance that comes about. In the end, it's a nice barleywine, but I'm not sure it's one I would try again. It was definitely well worth trying once though.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 02:08:04 | More by tdm168

Chaney

District of Columbia

3/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Whew, I had trouble finding the record for this one on BA.

Served in a Cigar City snifter.

A: Poured a caramel brown color, with only a slight whispy head that even poured that way. Usually BA Barleywines aren't about the head they produce.

S: Very, very faint smell of melted Jolly Rancher, oak, and maybe a hint of candi sugar. Nothing overpowering or groundbreaking here.

T: Kinda wet carboard-like actually. One-dimensional would be an understatement. I got processed caramel, grains, and only a hint of oak... which didn't do a very good job covering up the booze.

M: The booziest English BW I've tried in a while BY FAR. They really need to go back to the drawing board on this one. Sure, it was thick enough, but I didn't care after a while. The lacing was minimal as was the carbonation.

O: Not quite bad enough to be a drain pour, but damn near bland enough to be one.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 23:19:39 | More by Chaney

RollBounce

New York

4.03/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

First i have to say i am reviewing this beer as if it was a Flander's style sour ale nit a Barleywine.

Pour a brownish foggy color with almost no carbonation, smell is of mustarted and pine, and fate raspberry, tastes of lemon juice, tart berrys and a tinge of copper.

Overall; A big find for sour lovers. I would never call this beer a barleywine thou.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 22:25:56 | More by RollBounce

maximum12

Minnesota

1/5  rDev -72.1%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Awww shit. Bought this off the shelf here in Georgia on a whim & scanning the reviews, it sounds like this might be sour...well, nothing to do but hope. 11.4 oz. swing-top.

Cool bottle. I release the metal & it exhales before the rubber stopper is even cracked. Yikes. Heading to sink now. But no, not even a whimper of head. Looks like red wine vinegar; kinda smells like it too. No. Almost exactly like it.

Spike & Jerome's Cuvee Delirante should have been strangled in the cradle. Heavy sour tang, red vinegar up the nose, with a tiny wisp of rum & some kind of beer right at the end.

Brewers: if you're going to brew sour shit, put the word SOUR on the label somewhere; you're going to end up in hell for calling things like this a "barleywine". Dammit. This just pisses me off. Unfuckingdrinkable. It makes me sorry I just dropped money on another Terrapin beer, & I won't touch anything from these other characters.

Possibly the Worst Beer Ever.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 01:51:20 | More by maximum12

beerthulhu

New Jersey

2/5  rDev -44.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

- 2/3 ale, 1/3 ale matured in rum oak barrel. Collabration ale of Terrapin & Brasserie BFM of Switzerland. Brewed 2011. Consumed 8/12. Ages well with a 10.0276% abv.

A: A dark ice tea coloring upon bottle exit sits a steadfast black with absolutely no head formation, just a polished surface. No lacing or visible effervesce. No audible pop of carbonation upon opening of swingtop.

S: Rum is evident on the nose of moderate level. Caramel apple booziness best describes the aroma of limited complexity and interest. Really didn't lend to much excitement or anticipation.

T: Flavor was strongly soured, vinegar, puckering of lemon caramel. A real eye squinter, something i wasn't prepared for at first unsure of style (sour english barleywine). Boozy caramel apple, every bit its 10.0%abv. Leathery whiskey fade. The flavor puckering sour.

M: The mouthful was light, very sour, acidic, slippery texture with a flat carbonation factor. Lifeless on the hold, leaving with a sour vinegar like fade.

O: Overall i get the style, but comes nearly undrinkable by one's self. Flat lifeless mouthful is equaled by a flat lifeless flavor. Something i was not expecting. Best to share as this is a sipper and for fans of hardcore sours only. Yes i had Cantillon, and this is not.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 00:48:41 | More by beerthulhu

cvm4

Mississippi

3.55/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours dead flat, seems to be no carbonation. Looks like a muddled amber/brown in color.

S - Is really complex... Sweet brown sugar, rum, red wine and dry oak.

T - Sour red grapes, acidic tannins with the oak intertwined in the flavors. The rum is pretty much nonexistent and can't compete with the sharp flavors.

M - No carbonation, thin body.

O - It takes a bit to get used to. It's one you taste and not sure whether you should drainpour it or stick with it. The taste was just sour purple grapes and flat.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 23:25:43 | More by cvm4

DoubleJ

California

3.48/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Not a collaboration that I would have anticipated. Terrapin, which I can't get in California, decides to share their skills with the folks of BFM, a Swiss brewer. Part of the beer was aged in rum oak, so this could end up as a fun one. Coming out of a swing-top 33cl stubby bottle, on to the beer:

It looks dead. Flat, muddy brown color which strays into a yellow hue at places. Not even a fizzle of carbonation or head were founnd on the pour. It has legs though, adding much needed texture to the appearance. An interesting nose rebounds some confidence. Sweet like raisins, soaked in rum. There's a white grape element as well.

Is this my first sour barleywine? Me thinks so. The flavor is a lot like soured grapes. There's a subtle lick of oak, otherwise this beer is a strong, one trick pony. Some of the alcohol is felt in the mouth, with a stronger sensation of heat in the throat. The beer is full bodied, without carbonation, making it easy going down.

I have mixed feelings. While this was much different than I anticpated (annd quite good at that), my sweet tooth was really craving that rum and maltiness so typical of the style. Don't expect to run into a barleywine, come in expecting something sour.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 04:53:13 | More by DoubleJ

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 1.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

330 mL swing top bottle poured into a Kate the Great snifter.

Appearance - Murky brown pond water with no carbonation. A small collection of bubbles from a very vigorous pour, but that's most likely not being released from this beer... I don't know how this could look any less appetizing. 1.5 may be a generous rating.

Smell - Fascinating and complex. Rum, vinous red wine characteristics. Certainly smells acidic. Oak and some malt comes through, but it's definitely secondary.

Taste - This took a while to grow on me. I initially wanted to dump it. Acidic red wine, tannins, and oak really permeate every other flavor. But deep inside is a decent beer. The rum is lost in the taste, unfortunately. Light caramel and toffee persist. Some earthiness in the finish. Very interesting, but slightly difficult to drink.

Mouthfeel - Flat. Not an easy beer to drink. This will take me a long time. Not really thick, but acidic and a little bit astringent.

Overall - This is tough to review. Insanely complex and fascinating flavors, not all of which are easy to consume. The sourness adds and detracts at the same time. Reminds me a lot of Billy the Mountain, another beer that is incredible and difficult at the same time. Very BFM.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 03:03:13 | More by Alieniloquium

ediaz

Florida

2.3/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Bottle into CCB hunahpu snifter. Circa 2011.

A: cloudy, murky brown with no head. Some bubbles around the edge, no lacing.

S: sweet inviting smell. Rye comes through. Malty.

T: tastes like it smells but not in a good way.

M: heavier with no carbonation. Unenjoyable

O: feels like crap pouring a 10$ beer down the drain but I can't get past a few sips. I would NOT recommend.

Happy 4th of July!

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 04:29:36 | More by ediaz

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out to my doppelganger for sharing this one while sitting by the pool in the recent 100+ °F weather! Served from bottle into a shaker. Poured a murky reddish brown with a minimal off-white head. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, caramel, tart, tart cherries, fruit, wood, subtle vanilla, and alcohol. The flavor was of sweet malt, tart, tart cherries, fruit, wood, and alcohol. It had a medium feel on the palate with mild carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. I was really taken back by the tartness going on here as I was not expecting it to be there at all. It did however blend in fairly well with the other aspects of the beer that were to be found here. One of my gripes is that the alcohol definitely made itself known early and didn't let you forget it was there after each sip. But the tartness did help to balance this out some however. Definitely worth trying if you get the chance and like a little well balanced tartness in your beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 11:13:24 | More by thagr81us

ngeunit1

California

4.15/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Served a cloudy red color with a touch of brown and very little head and no lace.

S - Aroma is a mix of sour cherries, oak, vanilla, and a bit of booze.

T - Starts off with a mix of sour and tart cherries with some oak and vanilla in the background. Through the middle, some more sourness comes through alongside some caramelized malts and some light booze. The sourness mellows a bit as the beer finishes with some more oak coming through.

M - Medium bodied with mild carbonation. Feels smooth with a tart and sour finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice sourness and tartness from the cherry. Could have used a touch more body and carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2012 22:34:45 | More by ngeunit1

UCLABrewN84

California

3.48/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to wethorseblanket for sharing this one at jmgrub’s tasting.

2011 vintage.

Pours a murky honey brown with no head and no lacing. Smell is sour, tart, and funky with some slight vinegar notes. Taste is very much the same with an acidic quality on the finish. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with only a slight crispness. Overall, this is a pretty good beer as it is but I get zero rum barrel or typical barleywine aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 00:34:46 | More by UCLABrewN84

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.1/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330ml bottle served in a snifter.

A: Pours a dark brown muddy cloudy color with a minimal yellow head. No retention neither lacings

S: Very tart and fruity. Grapes, wood, caramel malts and vinegar. Rhum and alcohol in the end

T: Follows the nose. A tart and acid beer. Quite fruity too. Grapes, candy sugar, oak, rhum, malt and yeasts. Upfront is mild sweet, in overall, acid and dry in the mouth

M: Heavy body, molasses. Very low carbonation

O: Very tasty and drinkable beer. As mention before by other reviewers, this beer is much closer to a Wild/Sour than to a Barley Wine. It reminded me their BFM "Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru (Aged In Rhum Barrels)". By the way, a beer for real men, sissies won't like it

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 12:03:31 | More by eduardolinhalis

mt24turner

New York

4.3/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

In no way did this resemble a barleywine, but it was very complex and very tasty. be ready for a punch of tartnes but still a full flavored beer mouthfeel. alcohol is not present much taste wise. Just enough pleasant malt to balance the tartness.. loved it

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 00:14:47 | More by mt24turner

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a murky brown/red with no head at all. No lace.

Some bruised fruit, some dark maltiness. But this is very limited in the nose. Some wood? Some light vanilla?

Shocker how tart this is, with good depth behind it. Sour throughout, but the rightness is nice. Malt, some bruised fruit, alcohol, and stone fruit pit bitterness as the palate clears. Cool complexity here.

Medium bodied. A little loose. Dead still. A bit of fizz would have been nice. Acidic.

Overall, a cool one to try. Much more of a sour than an English Barleywine -- but hard to classify. Not for the faint of heart or those who really are focused upon a single style of beer. This one threw me for a loop, but I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 23:22:08 | More by OtherShoe2

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.55/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3.5

33cl swing-top.

It pours a dark brown with just the slightest bubbly head.

The smell is nice. Good barrel notes with some vanilla. There are dark vinous fruits with some sourness. It isn't too funky, just acidic in the smell.

The mouthfeel is thick and ever so lightly carbonated. The flavor is dark fruits, some toastiness, balsamic vinegar, leather, rum. This one is pretty complex and easily would scare off the average person.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 02:42:42 | More by crossovert

DCon

Missouri

4.13/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought a 11.4 FL. OZ. - 33cl bottle of this from the Thirsty Monk in Asheville, NC for $14.99. Poured from the Swingtop Corked bottle w/ both the Terrapin Turtle & BFM Lizard on the front of the label into a Shaker Glass. Has no bottled on date or lot # but does say "BREWED IN 2011" on the front. Lets see what this Barley Ryne has to offer!

Aroma- Has a big time sour cherry aroma from the beginning to the finish. Rye, light hops, and Belgian malts come through also. Not sure this is very "true to style" for a Barleywine... Will give an average because it is like BFM to include belgian/sour notes in every aroma.

Appearance- Pours no head at all and leaves no lace afterwards. Deep reddish colored body with semi-hazing.

Flavor- Has a huge acidic beginning and then pomegranate and fruit continue from the middle of the drink til the end. Has hardly any bitterness at the finish but very sweet.

Mouthfeel- Medium Bodied, Light-Medium Carbonation, Smooth, has a ton of sweet and sour tastes that remain on the palate.

Overall Impression- Like many BFM beers, there is always going to be funk and completely different characteristics than what the style really should be. I would say you should DEFINITELY go out of your way to get a bottle of this. Not too much rye included and not sure why this was. A English Barleywine? Probably not. A Sour Barleywine we can call this!

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 20:11:38 | More by DCon