Muscat D'Amour - Avery Brewing Company

womencantsail

California

3.68/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly clouded golden color with a white head. Very strong grape character to this. Lots of sweet muscat grapes but a very pronounced chardonnay character as well. Slight brettanomyces funk with maybe a touch of medicine. The flavor is also heavy on the grape and white wine character with moderate lactic tartness. Lots of wood and mild to moderate funkiness. Not bad, but no Cuvee de Castleton, either.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 17:59:13 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.73/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle courtesy of fortsambo. Served in a mini snifter. Pours a light golden color with a thin white head and a bit of lacing. The nose has some white grapes along with some chardonnay and a bit of oak. Mild earthiness. Flavor is a bit sour and tart with chardonnay dryness and some oak through the finish. Light tannins and a hint of alcohol. Light acidity. Interesting, but not quite integrated.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 18:59:01 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle pour sampled at mrbubbler's tasting.

Pours a murky yellow with an off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of sour and tart fruit, funk, wood, and wine. Taste is the same with a white wine flavor on the finish. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good sour with some nice aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 03:24:30 | More by UCLABrewN84

drabmuh

Maryland

3.35/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Another grape sour from Avery, served along side all of the other sours from Avery. This one is like mixing a sour beer with white wine, it ends up...odd.

Beer is amber / yellow with almost no head retention, some white bubbles.

Aroma is grapes, grape juice, sour, lactic.

Beer is light in body and really dry on the finish, the overall sense of the beer is bone dry, almost harsh. I don't hate it but there is an aftertaste that is really unpleasant. Not a repeat.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 17:23:47 | More by drabmuh

MasterSki

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Jason for sharing this rarity. Served in a Hill Farmstead glass.

A - Finger of white foam settles to a thin collar, wispy partial cap, and minimal lacing. Lightly hazed golden body.

S - It's got that standard musky funk and malt sweetness that I've come to associate with Avery wild ales. Some tropical brett claussenii flavors, along with fairly intense barrel oak and vinous flavors.

T - Taste is pretty similar, with vinous grapes, sweet malts, tropical fruits, and sweaty funk. Surprisingly sweet, with only modest acidity. The Muscat grapes are fairly present and combined with the sweet flavors there's a desert wine kind of vibe to this. Alcohol is well-hidden.

M - Smooth texture, medium body, dry and moderately tannic finish, hint of warming alcohol, moderate carbonation level. Solid, but unexceptional here.

D - I liked this one. It's not the best beer in this series, but it's definitely in the upper third somewhere. I'd drink it again, and perhaps drink it a bit slower to tease out flavor subtleties as it warms up.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 05:14:00 | More by MasterSki

gford217

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a bright hazy golden yellow with a small short-lived white head.

Aroma is very wine-like with lots of Chardonnay notes but with a sweet fruity character from the muscats. Almost smells like a dessert wine with a bit of earthy funk thrown in.

Taste also reminds me of a sparkling dessert wine - plenty of white grapes and light sugary fruits. The Brett is hardly noticeable with only hints of dry earthy notes in the finish, but it's the lightly tart fruitiness that dominates.

Mouthfeel is spritzy, with strong carbonation, which really hides the alcohol well. Never would have guessed such a high ABV.

Another really good beer from the barrel series for Avery, a tart/sweet drinkable brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 01:24:08 | More by gford217

AgentZero

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle courtesy of jrallen34

A - Orange colored beer with a white head that left some minor lace on the glass.

S - Does smell a bit like wine. There's some tannic quality, grapes, apples, and a bit of wood from the barrel.

T - Oaky, with a little bit of funk. It's a bit of a heartier sour than most, with the wine and barrel influence taking away some of the lighter tartness and sourness in a wild.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation and a dry finish.

O - Not bad, but nothing I would trade for again. Not sure if it had too much time in the barrel, or the base wasn't strong enough to get overwhelmed.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 14:47:48 | More by AgentZero

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.8/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle for $10.99 (ouch). I've been game to try one of these Avery barrel aged beers ever since I liked Sui Generis so much. Bright yellow color, hazy. Smell is a little stinky, grapes, wine, and booze, ehhh. The taste was nice, chardonnay, grapes, wine, slight booze, barrel, brett, a nice melange of flavors that in my opinion did not quite match the smell which was good. Overall I thought this was a good beer but my only complaint about the Avery barrel aged sours is why can't they make one that is low ABV? I think they are all 8% and up.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 03:24:56 | More by ArrogantB

Sean9689

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks, Jason! Bottle into tulip.

A - Pours a rusty burnt orange color, white frothy head, spotty lace, wisps on top.

S - Fruity must, toasted oak, sour grapes, tannins similar to a wine.

T - Similar to the nose, more vinous qualities. Oak, sour fruity notes, grapes, light barnyard funk.

M - Medium body, light carbonation, dry finish.

O - I was hoping for a bit more here, and it's actually a bit of a messy beer. It's not terrible or anything, I drank my pour, I just wouldn't go crazy searching this one out.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 15:35:09 | More by Sean9689

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nice looking beer; like a chardonnay with a small white head. Creamy, slippery lacing. The head dissipates to a thin band fairly quickly. Musty, somewhat funky brett aroma, definitely wine-like and vinous, moderately sweet honeyed malt note.

Complex and tasty. There’s the musty brett and a very winey, chardonnay, tannic flavor. Some sweetness and a tart, very lightly puckering sour aspect. Low but persistent bitterness. Semi dry finish with lingering white grape and oak.

Medium-light bodied with just the right amount of carbonation to give it a fairly crisp feel. Would do nicely paired with just about any food you’d serve with a semi-dry white wine.

Overall a very nice, complex and thought-provoking brew. Blurs the lines a bit between beer and wine.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 01:47:11 | More by tobelerone

jmarsh123

Indiana

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to MinorThreat for the bottle

Pours cloudy gold with a thin white head that fades immediately. Lots of bubbles.

Aroma is good musty brett along with heavy vinous notes and some oak.

Sour lemon/barnyard funk up front. Tannic qualities and finishes with a heap of oak and lots of white wine.

Medium mouthfeel and carbonation. Not as fizzy as the initial appearance would indicate.

Almost more like a wine than a beer. The musty brett is a bit too much for me, but still good overall.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 01:22:53 | More by jmarsh123

russwbeck

Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer pours much like, dare I say it, Miller Light. Clear, with hints of yellow, resting in the glass a very clear yellow color. Bubbles scream from the bottom of the glass to the top, where a bubbly and thin white head dissipates very quickly.

S: I am certainly getting a ton of grapes and wine characteristics out of the aroma. Dry white wine, big oak notes from the barrel, and a real nice funky, barnyard funk, and probably some sweaty goat as Lauren Salazar from New Belgium taught me. Certainly stinky, funky, and wonderful.

T: The taste is really musty with a decent amount of sour. This really tastes more like a nice white wine than a sour beer. I really like the change of pace. Just a huge amount of grapes in every part of this beer, beginning, middle, and end. With a sour brett undertone, barnyard funk and oak. Really a game changer for me in terms of American Wild Ales because the wine is the forefront. If only it was more widely available I would recommend it as a gateway beer for wine lovers.

MF: Very light body with a very high amount of carbonation. The drinkability is ok, but the mustiness does detract from it a bit. Very dry finish, but absolutely no notes of the surprisingly high ABV.

O: Like I said, game changer. This beer is phenomenal, I just wish it was easier to find. I savored all 12 ounces I had, and you should, too.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 04:07:16 | More by russwbeck

hopfacebrew

Colorado

4.45/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle dated 1/26/2012 to Duvel tulip the beer is a slightly hazy though translucent golden yellow straw color with gilded edges in the light. A small 1/4 finger white head, though not much carbonation. No retention or lacing. The nose is nice, mix of sour tartness with noticeable elements of chardonnay and grapes. Hints of brett and earthy hops. The nose is a bit subdued, the flavor is not. Powerful and full. Starts with a distinct tart apple fruitiness that quickly turns to a mild sour flavor with hints of grape and vinegar and brett. The middle provides a more pronounced grape flavor as the earthy hops develop. The beer finishes with a chardonnay flavor, crisp, and clean. It is extremely complex yet easy to drink. Refreshing. Absolutely no hint of alcohol. Overall, this is great. I wish I had access to more to cellar.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 20:08:25 | More by hopfacebrew

denver10

Colorado

2.98/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

Pours a golden orange with no head or lacing. A bold aroma of tart grape and apples, woody from the barrel, and a strong wine like smell too. Sweet and tart; grapes, apple and wood. A strong wine-like quality to this. Medium bodied, not much carbonation to this, some carbonation might have benefited it. Its expensive but the alcohol definitely hit me with this and one bottle was a sufficient amount to enjoy and get a nice buzz on, so I can't complain about the cost. Glad I finally got to try one of these Avery barrel aged brews but can't say my expectations for it were quite met.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 21:14:58 | More by denver10

waltonc

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice golden straw color with ample white head. On the nose, there is a definite Chardonnay and muscat grape quality. This is the most Chardonnay I've ever found in a beer. Light Brett notes add a nice earthy quality. Taste follows the nose - with tart apple, muscat grape, and Chardonnay, among other qualities. Really clean, refreshing flavor. This blurs the lines between wine an beer a much as any beer I've had. Medium bodied with bright, sparkling carbonation. Overall, I'm a big fan. One of the better Avery barrel-aged brews I've had.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 04:24:49 | More by waltonc

claytong

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was expecting to not like this as much as the others in the series, boy was I wrong. They hit it again so well on the nose. Not overly sugar, I'm really curious how this will age too. Appearance is pretty clear with a white grape color and a somewhat fizzly head that does linger. Smell and taste is a lot of white grapes with sugar and a minor tinge of funk, but very well rounded. Not a bit cloying, thick and smooth, lovely.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 14:52:22 | More by claytong

StoneTSR

Colorado

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

APPEARANCE: Looked like champagne when first poured. It's crisp, clean and very light with bubbles all over. Lacing was non existent and not much head.

SMELL: Plenty of grape aromas with a pleasant hint of green apple. Oddly, there was also a bit of what smelled like slightly overcooked pork.

TASTE: Starts out a bit metallic and not terribly sour, but the wild yeast kicks in the middle of the sip and provides a more tart, apple flavor towards the end.

MOUTHFEEL: Effervescent is the best word for this beer. Bright, lively and full of sparkle. It is nice and dry as well.

OVERALL: This was a very pleasant beer overall. It really tasted like a sour, bubbly chardonnay.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 00:51:36 | More by StoneTSR

TenHornsProud

Colorado

3.63/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear yellow/pale oragne with a small white head that fades quickly.

Smells of white wine, almost pino with oak and alcohol.

Taste is white-wine grape up front that goes into a slightly malty, highly carbonated middle, before ending on muscat grape note with hints of pear and sourness.

Medium body with lower carbonation works well enough. Alcohol is too present as it stands.

While I do enjoy the flavors, I find this to be too much like a white wine and not enough like a beer. Some age could also help bring things together.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 03:58:04 | More by TenHornsProud

bfields4

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear golden body. Very effervescent. Head dissipates very quickly. Reminiscent of champagne.

Funky sour yeast aroma. Tart grape aroma. A hint of the barrel wouldn't notice if I wasn't looking maybe a figment of my imagination.

Tart grape and white wine flavors. Touch of sweet bready pale malt. Funky notes come and go.

Good complex flavors. Like the experimentation. Tasty brew, glad I tried it. Nice light flavors with a good creamy body compliment the tartness. I could really see this being a good intro sour.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 03:04:39 | More by bfields4

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.63/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I've tried this a few times now and never been blown away. This was a pour into a large snifter.

A - Doesn't have much of a head, but mostly white with some orange and brown in it. The body is clear and a straw yellow in color. Not much going on here.

S - This is probably the highlight. Some good sour, but also nice white wine aromas. I get a little ethyl acetate and some band-aide. But overall it is very good. Some lemon and some floral smells.

T - Too much wine for me. Makes the alcohol come out more than I think it should. Better colder. A little floral/farmhouse flavor, some lemon and plum.

M - I feel as though there is a struggle between drying and buttery. But it is nice carbonation and body works with this style.

O - I can't tell if this is improving with age. Still too much white wine for me. A good beer, but slightly off for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 03:39:02 | More by RuckusDu

chefmikeanderson

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A : nice clear golden like a deeper chardonnay color or Muscat juice. nice noticable carbonation

S: a nice sweet white /green fruit backround with a shot of funky brett letting you know its in there.

T:This one is way more beer like compared to the sauvage. tastes is like a fruit brett saison with the barnyard depth with must and nice residual sweetness left from the fruit

M: a little thick for me maybe a little low on carbonation to help everything shine

O: Another really nice blend of the beer and wine world. very food friendly but easily drinkable by yourself.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 04:50:26 | More by chefmikeanderson

thebigredone

Wisconsin

2.48/5  rDev -38.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Thnks to jfstilling for hooking me up with this.

I am going to skip straight to the overall. I like wine, and I like beer, but I do not like this. Smells and tastes decent upfront, but has a really nasty aftertaste. Can't really describe the flavor, somewhat bitter, medicinal, moldy oaky, and just plain gross. Maybe this is just a bad bottle, but this really became undrinkable. I had to drain pour about three-quarters of this after giving it the old college try.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 01:15:47 | More by thebigredone