Avery Anniversary Ale - Fifteen - Avery Brewing Company

shoky01

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +24.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had in a goblet, on tap at the Houston Flying Saucer.

First impressions: I love this beer!

From the moment I saw it in the glass I knew it was a beauty. The smell gave away most of the flavor off the bat with the spices and grains. The taste left nothing to be desired, just a perfect balance of sweet, spice, malt and a tiny bit of bitter. I want this again and I want it now!! So happy I got to experience this.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2011 12:39:24 | More by shoky01

Pentastar

New York

3.8/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Hazy straw color with white head that quickly dissipates.

Aroma: Not much aroma to speak of. Some sour notes and alchohol are present.

Taste: Begins with a sourness akin to light vinegar and sour apple, sourness fades a little and malt flavor comes in. Very interesting aftertaste features woody flavors and a barnhouse flavor like in a saison.

Mouthfeel: Light and effervescent.

Drinkability: A pretty good sour ale.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2010 18:58:18 | More by Pentastar

m1ked

California

3.4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

At BT for their Avery event, nothing too crazy but all very tasty.

A- pours a murky yet bright yellow, looks like a hefe. Topped with a bright white creamy head that that fades to a thin covering with plenty clinging to the edges.

S- Sour apples tart cherry, touch of vinegar, slight funk, with a hint of cinnamon. There is a thread I'd sweetness throughout.

T- Wow, I am somewhat let down. The taste seems pretty singular, unlike the nose. I get apple vinegar, green grapes. Mostly a tolerable monotone tartness.

M- light bodied with a low unobtrusive carbonation.

D- love Avery, really enjoy a wild/sour/funky beer....but this isn't one I am crazy about. Not bad, but not one I will seek out again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2010 21:38:56 | More by m1ked

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was surprised to see this on tap in July 2010 at the Fort Worth Gingerman.

The beer pours a hazy gold color with a white head. The aroma is a lot of citrus fruit with some brett character. The flavor is a nice mix of brett, leather, oranges and yeast. Medium mouthfeel and medium character. Not bad.

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2010 05:25:58 | More by Mora2000

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.3/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Brick Store Pub after 1 year in the keg. I really didn't like this beer at all when it first came out- way too sweet and far, far too much overripe fig with just a touch of sourness. Now, however, it's almost sublime. The Brett has worked its magic and eaten most of the sugars from the figs, balancing and souring the beer in the process. This is a completely different- and better beer. All of which prompts me to ask- why was it released when it was? It wasn't ready. There is a reason that breweries like Cantillon wait 3 years before releasing many of their lambics- it takes close to a year just for the Brett to do its magic and then they blend with older versions that are even more complex. I know this was an anniversary beer, but just chalk it up to experience after tasting, brew something else and make this the 16th anniversary rather than the 15th. All that being said, I loved the beer after a year . Pours a very hazy orange golden with a fairly nice all white head and great lacing. Smells somewhat funky, but there is more lemon than funk here. No band-aid (which I hate), and the hibiscus actually comes through now. Just a touch of horseblanket. Floral and citrusy predominantly. The taste is much, much nicer than when fresh. A little funk up front with nutty, earthy, and more horseblanket notes. This is followed by very ripe apricots, mango, pear, and lemon. Very smooth and a delight to savor. This is more like it!

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2010 02:55:53 | More by Georgiabeer

Soonami

Pennsylvania

2.15/5  rDev -39.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I've had my share of wild ales, but this beer was definitely not what I was looking for. It is definitely spontaneously fermented with lots of horse-stable straw flavor, but it had almost no acidity to balance out the funk. It was like drinking a beer version of Rocqueforte cheese that wasn't salty or tart. Combined with a mineral quality it had a distinctly meaty taste. It looked alright, pale and couldy, with almost no head and smell was fine.

Most disappointing was that I had this at City Tap House in West Philadelphia, at an event termed, "Best of the best," when in fact this was one of the worst wild Ales I've ever tasted

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2010 02:59:26 | More by Soonami

Tiklmelmo

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pale straw yellow. Very cloudy / murky. Little to no head. Not the prettiest beer out there.

S - Musty, wet horse blanket funk, with a hint of lemon.

T - Taste follows the nose, with definite barnyard funk, but little to no tartness. Some spice and peppery flavors. Sort of a cross between an unflavored lambic and a saison, but not quite right in the balance.

M - Low carbonation and dry mouthfeel. Nothing special really going on.

D - I was content with the one, and had trouble getting through it at the end.

Overall, not terrible, but I've had better wild's from both Avery and elsewhere.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2010 16:08:20 | More by Tiklmelmo

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

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

A rich take on a Belgian Wild from avery. Special tap offering with two years of age.

Presentation: 12 oz draft pour. Menu offers a god description noting style, intent, ingredients, and Alc. by Vol. (7.7%) It also adds that today the proceeds from this beer will be donated to Doctors Without Borders. Served in a tulip glass.

A - Hazy deep gold pour with a nice frothy head, medium retention, a fair surface memory, and some lacing.

S - Rich funky nose, freshness of brett, rotten apples, fruity notes, a complex spiciness, and a rich yeasty sense.

T - Fruity and complex spicy and funky range... Difficult to discern the figs or hibiscus... Things are working rather well as a nicely integrated unit. A bit sour but not over the top.

M - Medium to light body, with fine bubbly carbonation offering a tingly and smooth finish.

D - Very rich and pleasing brew. It´s complex, fresh but not overwhelming.

Notes: First Anniversary Ale I have from Avery, I think, and in this aged incarnation it feels great. I´m typically on a hit or miss relationship with Avery brews, luckily a few more hits than misses, but when you get a good one... I need to see If I can still find a bottle of this lying around somewhere.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2010 00:32:16 | More by Daniellobo

glid02

Georgia

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

Had this on-tap at Trappeze in Athens.

Pours a murky yellow-orange color with a one-finger white head. The head dissipates fairly quickly into a wispy layer on top leaving some lacing.

Smells good - mild funkiness with an equal amount of fruit aromas - tart apples, pears, and citrus.

Tastes similar to how it smells. The funkiness isn't as pronounced, instead letting the fruit flavors do most of the work. Tart apples, pears, and citrus are all still there, slightly more on the sweet side but still with a solid tartness.

Mouthfeel is good. Good thickness with active carbonation make this go down smoothly.

Drinkability is good. The flavors, most notable the tartness, aren't overpowering. I could have more than one of these.

Overall this seems like it would be a good gateway wild ale - not too overdone on the funk or tartness. This is certainly not in the upper tier of sours by any stretch, but it's done well and is definitely worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2009 13:34:43 | More by glid02

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.48/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed on 8/15/08. On tap at Blind Tiger. Pours a light orange with no head. Aroma of sour fruits, citrus, and oak. Flavor of citrus (orange specifically), banana, light melon, slight tartness, oak. Fruity-ish and sweet, kind of like Russian River sours but sweeter (and not as good...) Weird sourness but certainly drinkable. Interesting wild ale, to say the least. But I did enjoy it. Should age well too.
7/4/7/3/15 (3.6/5)

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2008 17:08:27 | More by LilBeerDoctor

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Blind Tiger in NYC, August 2008.

A very general orange-copper colour that is too dense to allow for clarity even though its tone is light enough to have you think it would. Mold-like patches were plotted across the top although they, like the scuzzy rim along its fringes, weren't strong enough to hold on for very long. The flat surface and polished body, somewhat appropriately, resembled a gueze.

The aroma has a definite likeness to something from Russian River but is far from an exact reproduction, and in all honestly, is considerably inferior. It shares the customary bready, leathery 'funk' and its bouquet is not without some eccentricity. It seems underlined by an odd combination of fruit that includes apricots, peach, and watermelon.

A flavour of warm, freshly baked bread with subdued and fading citrus. It must be an ample level of hops that give a good impression of dried fruits. A deeper dimension of 'funk' would allow this taste to really go the distance, and that could come with time yet. The barrel aging becomes quite apparent with warming: buttery white wine and slathers of vanilla come to really dominate the flavour.

I wouldn't consider (at least at this young an age) the "funk" to have fully achieved its "funky" potential. That said, American Wild Ales really lend themselves to the imagination and I am associating this character to the likes of musty worn socks and greasy cheese. For anyone yet to try the style, or learn to appreciate it, I'm sure it's hard to imagine these attributes as desirable - but they are.

Adam Avery's wild ale doesn't quite have the depth or dimension of those of his friend Vinnie Cilurzo. It did, however, have all the drinkability and show much of the same potential. I didn't love it but I did sure like it. I also thought it definitely seemed worthy of its slot as an 'Anniversary' ale and hope there will be plenty of it still around for the next few to come!

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2008 23:51:43 | More by biegaman

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.38/5  rDev +22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Tried this super-sour beer fresh at the brewery during the 2008 GABF weekend. Upon the first sip, I was taken back at it's quality, cleanliness, and control. The beer opens with a hazy yellow appearance with a nice, terse head formation that retained the session. Aromas of slight bready malts come out from hiding behing the clean Brettonomyces sourness. Fruity esters of peaches, pears, pineapple, appricots, lemons, and other citus give the beer a lot of character and variety. The sourness gives a sharp acidity that never really crosses the line to barnyard or musty notes. Peppery phenols gives a lot of complexity to the alcohols and hop bittering. Flavors favor the zesty lemony sourness, but allow the malts, esters, and phenols to balance the beer and add a ton of complexity. The malt base gives a lot of body to the beer, keeping it from complete astringency and vineousness. Finishes lemony, tart, and fruity with a pleasant dryness. Hard to beleive this beer hasn't seen higher ratings.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2008 20:03:28 | More by BEERchitect

dedrinker

Kansas

4.33/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Get outta town, this beer deserves more props. Light yellow-golden color with a thin white head that clings to the side of the glass. Complex aroma of lemony acidic earth and barnyard straw and what I can only call summer breeze at the beach. Also, the aroma shows bubblegum as it warms up and elusive private school cafeteria smells (!?!). Brett character is readily apparent on aroma and flavor. The rest of the flavor reprises the aroma with the addition of a yeasty smell of peed-on straw. Light body with a citrusy, acidic brett finish. This is brilliant.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2008 03:58:12 | More by dedrinker

tpd975

Florida

2.78/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours a light cloudy reddish yellow hue. Lots of tiny bubbles but no lace.

S: Very musty, tart and funky.

T: Not one that I appreciate. It is very weird to say the least. There is a blast of funk mixed with crused sweet tarts. Don't have the chemical taste I noted in the bottle but still not good. It's a mishmash of flavors that don't seem to meld into together.

M: Light and astringent.

D: Not at all, nice to try but will not be revisiting.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2008 01:24:44 | More by tpd975

supercolter

Minnesota

3.78/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ok so this is a pretty good wild Ale, but I personally think this market is pretty well taken by Russian River. In any event, appearance is golden yellow with a nice head, and little lacing. Smell is good, a lot going on here. It almost tastes like wild rice mixed with sour mash. Taste is pretty good as well, but the taste seems overpowered by banana flavor. Mouthfeel is right on par, medium in body. Drinkability is good.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2008 14:56:08 | More by supercolter

sinistrsam

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a hazy gold/straw; could describe it looking like a Hefe without the enormous head. The head was smaller and more soapy than foamy. Excellent lacing.
The aroma was a lot of citrus and hops, grass and floral notes. Very pleasant.
Taste was of yeast, citrus, bubblegum, ginger, vanilla, all well -balanced. Definitely some white pepper and other spice involved.
The feel was biting and sour, crisp and refreshing, which faded into a feel that was nice and smooth.
Overall I was very impressed and have to say this was one of the best Avery's I've had, and they make some pretty good brews. I would only comment on the semi-high ABV which you can easily overlook.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2008 15:09:38 | More by sinistrsam

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.28/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Clear golden body with a small white head. Leaves some lacing on the glass, but not too much.

Smell is pretty nice, I actually do notice flowers in it along with some sweet fruits.

Taste is mostly fruity. Figs and variety of others. Some pepper is also noticeable, and a sourness doesn't come through until the end. Sourness is minute.

A thin, very carbonated mouthfeel.

Average drinkable, a decent buy not spectacular brew in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2008 17:18:30 | More by Hojaminbag

champ103

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours an orange color. A decent head and patchy lace.
S: Very funky and musky. Lots of barnyard hay with some biscuit malt. Sour fruit as well. This is great.
T: Follows that nose. Tons of biscuit flavor. Tastes like I am drinking a cracker. Some sour fruit flavors. Very unique.
D: Pretty smooth and easy to drink. No something I want to session though.

A difficult beer to like. I enjoyed it though, and would recommend this to people that are new to the style. Cheers to Avery for doing something different.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2008 05:59:33 | More by champ103

Overlord

California

3.2/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Kind of a strange beer. Sampled at the Stone 12th anniversary celebration.

Poured a cloudy yellow/orange. Smell is citrus and sweet ... something; taste is, again a weird balance between a sweet overtone and some citrus to balance ... but it's neither sour, nor funky, nor bitter. This is a wild ale? I never would have known.

Could use some more carbonation. I wouldn't revisit, but interesting.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2008 07:51:39 | More by Overlord

KeefD

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this one on tap Town Hall in Minneapolis last night. Poured into a tulip glass a hazy bright orange color with a nice head and sticky lacing. Smell is slightly sweet, with big wafts of bubblegum and banana, followed a yeasty funkiness. Smells amazing! Taste is equal to the aroma. Bigtime bubblegum flavors, a little citrus, a mild sweetness, and a lingering sourness. Dry on the finish which left me wanting more. Thirst quenching, tasty, and a real treat. Just couldn't see myself drinking more than one in a sitting. Well done, Avery.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2008 05:31:05 | More by KeefD

CrellMoset

Virginia

3.3/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Thinking Man's Tavern in Decatur, GA. Served in a traditional American pint glass.

Appearance: A translucent, pale straw golden body with orange hues - hayish, a friend says - with very fast but relatively sparse carbonation. There's little head of which to speak and less lacing. A very still but not heavy- or thick-looking beer.

Aroma: Belgian spices (white pepper, coriander) are prominent, but so are a vast array of fruity notes. Peach and apricot concentrate are up front, but farther back are strawberries, raspberries, and banana esters. Not tart or sweet - just fruity. Interesting.

Taste: A little more of the same here. Those Belgian spices, a little more subdued here but still prominent, along with lighter stone fruits (apricots, peaches, perhaps cherries). Again, it's not tart or sweet - it's balanced, with any malt sweetness being held in check by a mild spicy hop bitterness and whatever fruit tartness is present.

Mouthfeel: Big-bodied and relatively even, but the body is puffy and rocky (almost like I imagine the head should have been - maybe it was a bad pour?).

Drinkability: An interesting and mild wild ale. A few notes coming through here that I haven't tasted in many other stylistic examples, and it's not puckeringly tart or cloying. Alcohol is manageable, too. My only complaint would be (and this isn't Avery's fault) that it reminds me of a Belgian-ified Magic Hat #9, which evokes caution on my part. But this wasn't bad - just a very mild, drinkable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2008 14:15:45 | More by CrellMoset

JamesS

Indiana

4.28/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a great dark copper color with nice head and lacing. Wondeful scent, very malty with nice fruity overtones (mostly fig). Great taste, very malty without being overbalanced, nice with fruity hints, and a great sour finish. It goes down very smoothly, a wonderful brew.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2008 00:52:28 | More by JamesS

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.83/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Can a beer get any more complex?!

Had the delight of having this one on tap from a widemouth snifter glass. I do think I prefer the bottled version better, though.

Fairly light copper color, thin bubbly head. Lacing is fantastic!

Wow! I smell smartees, bubble gum, red apples, green grapes, white bread, rotting wood and green olives....wierd huh?

Double wow! Fungal, yeasty mineral belgian-esque funk. Rotting wood (in a good way) is the flavor de jour. This beer is waaay out there. Unclassifiable. (is that a word?)

So complex it is rediculous, a must try for any beer enthusiast. I have 3 bombers in my celler, and it is definately better from a bottle. I hope it gets better with age.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2008 19:28:29 | More by twiggamortis420

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.68/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Golden in color, quite clear, with an ivory head of good retention. Legs dissipate rather quickly.

Strong mineral aroma, with horseblanket and must aromas as well. Over ripened soft fruits come to mind. Light crisp sweetness.

Spicing and light peppering comes through quite a bit, highly carbonated so the flavor doesn't linger too long on the palate. Lots of fruits, and mildly tart. Definitely a bit of sourness, but it's in a no-man's land for me: not tart enough to pucker but not subtle enough to allow other flavors to truly shine.

Pretty good complexity for the style, and the alcohol is nicely hidden. As it warms, it becomes harder for me to enjoy the past-ripe flavors: I just don't think they gel very well.

I'll definitely look out for a bottle, but I'll avoid this tap in the future. Recommended for fans of the wildness - with qualifications.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2008 19:08:40 | More by BretSikkink

bigbelcher

Arizona

3.6/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Totally funky oak aged Belgian beer. Poured a hazy light golden color with a big rocky head. Wild aromas of citrus, and funky belgian yeast. Taste was that of pepper spices and fruit and a big woody character that wasn't all that appealing. Medium in body with nice carbonation. Most definently a living beer, that I think would improve with a fair amount of aging. Good Belgian lace.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2008 04:05:19 | More by bigbelcher