De Proef Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird) - De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)

mynie

Indiana

3.93/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

That, my friends, is some bottle art. Wild ales from Europe should not come wrapped in cartoons, and nor should they evince the contemptibly measured boldness of a so-called "edgy" brewery's logo. They should look like a scene out of Hitler's nightmares.

Aside from that, pours a lightly hazy gold with a really nice head. Much more similar to a BSPA than a wild. Actually, it don't look or smell nothing like a wild--just, crap, is this just a Belgian Pale?

Not that there's anything wrong with that, aside from that fact that in today's age of 15 dollar bombers, I kind of like to know what I'm paying for...

So, okay, it's a BPA. And it's a pretty one. But it smells a little too soft. Nothing at all is offputting--light citrus fruit, light pepper, and a real light yeasty sourness. But you notice there were three "lights" in the last sentence.

Tastes much more firm. Sweet citrus and berries run into nodes of mineral water and black pepper. This odd melange gives way to a more traditional, grassy finish that's similar to a good, light saison. There is just a teeny tiny little hint of brett in the back end, so maybe this is indeed a wild--only it way more resembles a BPA than a wild, so whatever.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 03:56:15 | More by mynie

TenHornsProud

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear straw yellow with a huge, white rocky head, almost Orval like.

Smells of some funk, diacetyl butteryness, and notes of brett barnyard.

Taste is up front green apple, sweet, with earthy funk that goes into a more bitter middle and ends on a slightly metallic, sharp, floral, and funky end. Surprisingly bitter but balanced. Still, somewhat one dimensional and boring.

Lighter to medium body with medium to high carbonation. Alcohol is surprisingly well masked.

A hoppy, somewhat fruity and floral funky beer that lacks something, maybe more malt or more funk would help. This WOULD be great with some slightly spiced/herbal food though.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 23:15:52 | More by TenHornsProud

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle, poured into a tulip

Pours a pale golden yellow with a foamy one+ finger white cap. The cap settled rather quickly to a thin layer. Mild visible carbonation.

The aroma is of medicinal/herbal hops, overripe fruit, and an underlying funkiness. The funk is most reminiscent of band-aids and horses with a damp muskiness lurking.

On the palate, the flavor profile flips itself from the aroma. The aroma was more fruity, herbal with the funk laying low. On the palate, the funk is much more prominent while the fruity, medicinal feel takes a backseat.

Band-aid and horse funkiness with a damp must are prominent, while overripe fruit and herbal hops come in on the back end. The hops are biting and spicy, cutting through the funk for a herbal hop finish with a minor touch of funk.

The feel is on the lighter side of medium, with a touch of prickly carbonation that accentuates the biting, spicy hops in the finish.

This is a nice little BSPA. I wasn't expecting the funk, but it was a welcome surprise. I will be seeking this out again. Solid on all fronts.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 19:38:39 | More by ColForbinBC

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pretty sure this was the beer had on tap at Max's during their Belgian event (the label, I believe, was on the tap handle).

The beer pours a surprisingly light gold color with fair head retention and lacing. The nose is quiite sour and funk filled, but with some nice light vanilla and honey as well. The flavor profile replicates the nsoe, and this beer is definitely a sour funk lovers wet dream of a beer. Nevertheless, the combination of honey, vanilla and sour funk is pretty intriguing and enjoyable, with the mouthfeel suprisingly full (lot of flavor in this one). Alcohol is also a bit noticeable, but it's not over the top. I don't get too much heat or alcholic bite on the finish.

My guess is that this beer is not for everyone, and is not something I'd care to have all that often either. Still, this was another interesting beer to try at Max's Belgian event.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2012 14:56:49 | More by johnmichaelsen

bbeane

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into DFH chalice... starts with big white head with great lacing and nice retention. Beer has a crisp golden color with a bit of yeasty sediment floating around -4.5

Has a light funk aroma with some bready and sweet malt notes -4

Has a light sweetness present from start to finish with some light funk and a bit of spice -4

Pretty light bodied with light carbonation

Not as funky as I prefer from a wild ale, but a good tasting beer none the less

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 14:50:33 | More by bbeane

sweemzander

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

750mL bottle poured into a tulip.

(A)- Pours a goldenrod color. Produced a nice tall cap of white froth. Great retention and lace.

(S)- A bone dry horseblanket, earth, clay, and a lemon-Brett funk. Bits of biscuit and tartness at the end. Quite nice and funky.

(T)- Very similar to the smell. A heavy Brett funk with lots of earth, clay, and spice. Far more Brett than the smell led me to believe actually.

(M)- A good carbonation level. A decent balance, though very Brett-forward with earthy bits. Not a whole lot else taste-wise.

(D)- Its easy to enjoy well enough, though nothing to write home about. The Brett is just too dominating for me to get more out of this than just a Brett funk. The smell was quite nice though.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 18:42:05 | More by sweemzander

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Capone's, Norristown, PA

Served in a snifter, a slightly cloudy golden-yellow with a small cap of foamy white head that retained and laced well. Aroma of Belgian yeast, sour and funky, wet grass, and light citrus. Sweet and tart fruit flavors--citrus zest, apple skin, a bit of pear and maybe cherry--wet grass, cardboard, and some earthy and herbal hop notes. Medium body, pretty crisp and drying, moderate carbonation. Quite drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2012 03:21:37 | More by Rifugium

DCon

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on-tap @ the Thirsty Monk (Belgian bar in basement) in Asheville, NC for $6.50. Tapped from a Dark colored tap handle w/ the Surly Bird on it into a 16oz La Moneuse Blaugies Tulip Glass.

Aroma- Extremely sweet on the nose with a light sour background (only hints) and very complexed. Finishes with a ton of musk though... Appreciated the first part of the aroma but didn't care for the muskiness.

Appearance- Received with a 2 finger head that had average retention. Has a dark amber colored body and left good lacing behind.

Flavor- The flavor is sweet with light, artificial cherries. The backend is sour and very complexed. No hops or bitterness involved.

Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, High Carbonation, and has a light sour finish on the palate.

Overall Impression- I'm not too sure of the style but enjoyed it! Wish there was more flavor and body instead of the musky aroma and finishing flavor. I have this in bottle and interested to see how it ages. VERY easy going beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2012 19:19:59 | More by DCon

ZombiesAteMyDog

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the Holy Grale in Louisville, KY.

A- Pale, semi-translucent golden yellow with a big, white head.

S- At first smell, I got a strange astringent smell, but after a few seconds all I got was fruit salad... No sourness detected after the fruit salad took over.

T- How is this 9%??? Amalgamation of fruit… yet not overpoweringly fruity. I was expecting this to be a bit sourer; however, it was nice and earthy/funky. I got a slight ‘hoppyness’ near the end. All-in-all it seemed more like a bready saison, yet not.

M- Medium bodied brew with a dry, clean finish. Carbonation was nice for the style, providing a nice crispness.

O- Interesting brew, but different than what I expected. It was a nice surprise to find this during the winter months.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2012 16:06:59 | More by ZombiesAteMyDog

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased from Binny's Beverage Depot in Schaumburg, IL.
No freshness date on the bottle, but likely from 2011 as it was not present in the summer, last time I was in the store.
Poured into a pint glass with a stout glass column.

I tried a glass of this with and without the yeast and found that I enjoyed it more when yeast was added (flavor was more robust and complex).

The beer can pour a fairly large head, though not particularly dense, made up of smallish and medium-sized bubbles. Mostly white in color, could argue off-white as well if desired. Fades rather quickly to a thin cap atop the body, but leaves quite a bit of lacing and spots of residual foam as it does so. This is augmented with each swirl and sip. Beer's body is a fairly bright, hazy (from sediment) yellow gold color out of light. When placed near a lamp, the beer is pale orange yellow. Very visible and active carbonation. I have not seen a better light-colored Belgian ale than this.

Dominant aroma (funk) from the beer is a product of the so-called wild fermentation, from whichever Brettanomyces strain was used, which gives off a moderately strong burnt electrical wire meets sawdust scent (tempered acidity). Mild sweetness in the background alongside some olde-type farm scents (true, dry compost and horses), you could also suggest that white pepper is noticeable.

Taste opens with a complex meld between Brettanomyces-influenced burnt electrical wire with sawdust sourness, vinegar-ness and bright malt sweetness. Midpoint is bright and fruity, esters dominate, take your pick of apples, pears, light-fleshed plums, pineapple and maybe even slight nectarines. Ethanol begins to be detectable in the last 1/3 of taste, both on the tongue and in the nasal cavity. Fade out is brightly, weirdly sweet with even more esters, then ethanol "warmth" and return of Brettanomyces-inspired flavors. Aftertaste is gently sour and bitter, like the taste in one's mouth hours after regurgitating, with enough residual sweetness to make this tolerable. If someone said this beer was akin to drinking the sour, vinegary, fruity, sweet, carbonated vomit of a god, then s/he would be in agreement with myself. I sometimes ask myself how I consider what is palatable to actually be palatable.

Beer's body is about medium in weight, with carbonation levels that are a bit excessive for this heaviness. Mouthfeel is rather aggressively prickly. The result is a beer, with quite high alcohol content, that does not linger in the palate, but is rather quickly gulped down. Finish is dry, pleasing. Overall, a bit disappointing for mouthfeel.

Overall, I enjoyed this beer and thought it was an interesting, continued foray into wild ales. If you let it sit for a while, the carbonation is even less of an issue. Would I get it again? Sure, if I was in the mood for a Brettanomyces-forward wild, but sweet BSPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 20:07:06 | More by falloutsnow

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy, dark golden yellow color with a two finger frothy, pillowy white head that very slowly fades into a thick, lasting ring. Large streaks of soapy lacing left behind.

Earthy, funky aroma with a lot of bretty barnyard character along With some zesty spice, pale malt and grassy hops. Not acidic but plenty of funky brett countered by bready yeast and light fruit notes. Smells like a bretted farmhouse/saison.

Medium bodied with a slight creamy texture and a prominent dry, funky brett presence. Not puckering or sour with a slight tart character and the dry funk complimenting the light fruit and other earthy notes. Hints of grass and straw with some dry, spicy hops followed by hints of bread, apple and pear. Very nice balance of sweetness and dry, earthy funk. The ABV is well masked with only some slight heat in the dry finish, resulting in a highly quaffable beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 05:29:14 | More by corby112

mdfb79

New York

3.15/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

From 06/25/11 notes. Picked this up at a store in NJ, but unsure of the vintage. The place has random Belgian vintages going back to 1991m so I'm guessing this is an older bottle. Poured from a 750ml bottle into my Bruery tulip.

a - Pours a cloudy dark amber color with one finger of fluffy white head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells of sweet fruit, bready malts, and cardboard. Seems like it may be a bit past its prime.

t - Tastes of sweet fruity malts, cardboard, msuty notes, bready malts. Again, past it's prime.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Pretty smooth and easy to drink.

o - A bit disappointing as it is definitely a shell of its former self; I'm guessing it is a pretty old bottle. Would like to have fresh sometime.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2011 15:53:33 | More by mdfb79

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle.

Upon uncorking it is a slow gusher. It pours a murky gold with a TON of sediment. It appears to be yeast particles. The head is ivory white and holds surprisingly well though it doesn't give much lacing.

This one has a definite must to it, along with Jolly Pumpkin's Lambicus Dexteris, this is one of the funkiest intentionally funky beers I have smelled. Candied vomit anyone? At any rate is smells both highly acidic and sweet and the same time with some funk to make it "primitive" so to speak.

The flavor is much less funky than the nose. It has a nice yeast blend in it though. It has a mild tartness and some definite bretty character. The hops are surprisingly noticeable adding a nice little bitter note. The malts are really noticeable here, they are very-honey graham cracker-like.

It is a nice ale with a lot of depth, but it is a bit sweet for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 06:17:49 | More by crossovert

mmmbeer

Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750 mL Belgian bottle, with F0108 on the synthetic cork. Pours a lightly-chilled medium gold, with lots of carbonation and an inch of ivory head that leaves nice lacing. It has a strong aroma, with phenols, orange, pear, light hops, a bit of acidity, and some earthy/funky yeast notes. Tastes of oranges, pale malt, floral noble hops which impart a medium bitterness, and a touch of sweetness. This is all pierced by strongly phenolic yeast and an alcohol pungency. Light, a little tingly, dry with a long spicy finish. Drinks like a big and pungent saison, and it's a bit harsh when cold, but mellows a bit as it warms. An interesting beer for sure, but this could use a few more years in the cellar I think.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2010 12:41:40 | More by mmmbeer

radshoesbro

California

3.78/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured into a tripel karmeliet glass from a 750 ml bottle. Split this with my wife over a few pieces of pizza.

Smells of mixed fruits. Big papaya notes with pineapple and brett. This is very fruity smellinh, and quite appealing. No sour smells.

Taste is dry, but overwhelmingly so. Fruit characters dance on the tounge. Yet they are slightly muddled up and very difficult to pick out. A small bit of something almost crab apple tasting.

Mouthfeel is alright. there is a good deal of dry characters on the back of the throat.

Drinkable, but sort of heavy in the stomach.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 04:58:55 | More by radshoesbro

glid02

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle purchased from Green's on Ponce in Atlanta.

Pours a slightly hazy golden-copper color with a two-finger bright white head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of light fruits - pears mostly with hints of bananas - with hints of tropical fruits, including papaya. Lurking in the background are pale malt aromas along with good amounts of funk. As the beer warms the funkiness from the brett intensifies but never overpowers the softer fruit aromas.

Tastes similar to how it smells, although the brett has less of an influence on the flavor profile compared to the nose. Light and sweet malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by ripe pear flavors. Midway through the sip the fruit flavors are tempered by a mild dose of funkiness and even milder dose of leafy hop flavors that then carry through to a solidly bitter ending.

Mouhtfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with active carbonation.

Drinkability is very good. I finished my glass quickly and could easily have a few more.

Overall I was impressed with this beer - a mild funk-bomb that I think would be a nice beer to introduce people to brett. Well worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2010 17:56:28 | More by glid02

darklordlager

Wisconsin

3.7/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked this one up at Blue Max three or four months ago. Second De Proef beer of the week--this brewery really puts out some good stuff.

A: Pulled from the cellar, popped open, and thrown into a snifter. Pours a gorgeous clear-golden colour with a volumptious 1" slighty off-white head. Marks the sides as it dies down a bit. Looks great. Second pour is a bit more hazy, with some floaties--despite my efforts to decant it (or balance decanting with wasting as little as possible).

S: Funk, hay, barnyard. Lots of fruit--apple, pear, grape. Smells very acidic.

T: Funky, but not nearly as sour as I was expecting it to be. More of an acidic funk to it. Lighter fruits lead in, with a bit of hay/earthy barnyard flavour. Smooth for a beer of this style. Dry, not tart at all, or sour (like I was kind of expecting). Earthy/peppery flavour lingers on the tongue. Slightly chalky. Even more earthy with the second pour, with a slightly intensified tartness.

M: Light-to medium with high carbonation.

D: While good, this one had me wanting a little bit more. A solid wild beer, but not something I would drop the cash on again. A bit too earthy without a sour/tart element.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2010 04:53:10 | More by darklordlager

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I had to pour VERY gently so as not to agitate the lees. Resulting color was a light golden-yellow with great clarity. Nose ranged, in pour, from light cider to horse-blanket with every variation in between to include light-cider, light-funk and aspirin, to a less-crisp cider. Very different. This is a beer to be shared with others. Do NOT drink this by itself. I started to notice tropical flavors - watermelon rind, mango, pineapple. Wow, was this wild! We got at least six different pours off a single bottle. The finish ranged from powdery aspirin, apple cider, melon rind to lemon zest. A great summer beer with a few friends.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2009 01:32:52 | More by woodychandler

bronzeside

Georgia

2.6/5  rDev -34.8%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked up a 750 of "Surly Bird" expecting the same type of tasteful yet adventurous experience I've had from the other De Proef Flemish Wild Ale products (Pig Nun, Spoon Whacker, etc.)

A little difficult to get the synthetic cork out--as I poured into a chalice, I found why-- pretty darn flat. Little to no head, like amber water.

Color a dark amber. Massive amounts of sediment as I reached the bottom of the bottle.

Smell was quite tart--before the first sip I braced myself for the sharp bite the Gueuze offerings I've tried--not there, though.

Nor did I catch the smooth dynamic barnyard flavors I expected. Yes, the grass, hay etc. were all there, but with a slightly off slightly sour bend.

Am really wondering, as many of the other reviewers noted a good head on the brew, if I did not get a bad bottle?

Hate to risk my money on another, though, as there are so many great (and consistient) Belgians out there.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2009 00:34:20 | More by bronzeside

koopa

New Jersey

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

Bottle purchased from Buyrite Liquors in South Plainfield NJ around October of 2008. Bottle has been kept in a cellared/temperature control environment until today. Cork is marked FP0108. Bottle opens with a loud pop and foams uncontrollably after I had stood it up for about 15 minutes prior to pouring. Must be the bottle refermenting.

Appearance: Hazy dirty orange with honey corners and a 2 finger frothy white crown that displays loads of renetion and lacing!

Smell: muted orange, bready malt, light whisps of barnyard, light candied quality, and a touch of mineral presence.

Taste: Bready malt and muted orange up front with hints of coriander and lemon rind rounding it out as the brett steals the stage in the finishing act.

Mouthfeel: About as creamy but not syrupy and substantial but not thick as you can get. Absolutely perfect. The year of extended bottle conditioning has done this brew justice.

Drinkability: Well put together flavors and a wonderful mouthfeel work for the drinkability of this brew. The undetectable 9% abv works against it.

A year of cellaring has muted this one out rather quickly. Its drinking like a 3 year old Unibroue already.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2009 17:58:48 | More by koopa

gameface23

Massachusetts

2.45/5  rDev -38.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: From a 750 mL bottle poured into a brandy snifter. It was straw colored, but had a bit more of an amber hue than I was expecting. Chunky yeast sediment was abundant.

S: Not much in the aroma. I was expecting at least a little wild tang, but there was none. I picked up grassy and vegetal notes with some hops.

T: Again, nothing in the tang department. Lackluster, with a bready blanket overshadowing everything else. Pretty bitter finish.

M: Decent. Medium-bodied.

D: I definitely wouldn't buy this again, especially at the price.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2009 13:18:44 | More by gameface23

Damian

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Drank from a 1 pt 9.4 fl oz bottle purchased at Bauer Wines and Spirits, Boston, MA
Served in a tulip

You have to love the Heironymous Bosch artwork on the bottle label. Even though the beer itself may not be classified as "wild", the packaging certainly is.

As for the beer, it poured a nearly clear, straw yellow color with a rocky, bubbly, bright white, one-finger head. On the second pour, large yeast particles clouded the liquid. Cascading rings of lacing coated the glass with every sip.

The aroma was musty and grassy. Country-ish with a distinct saaz hop quality. As the beer warmed, the mustiness intensified, becoming almost dank by the beer's end.

The taste was clean and crisp. Slightly sour and musty. Biscuity hops came through up front. Hay and lemon notes were noticeable in the center. Grassy, bittering hops appeared on the super dry, slightly funky and tart finish.

The mouthfeel was medium/lighter bodied with a crisp, sprightly effervescence. Smooth, slick and slightly creamy on the palate.

Drinkability was quite good. This is a light and refreshing yet flavorful beer that would make a perfect aperitif.

This is a interesting offering from De Proef. I only wish the funk/brett character were more pronounced.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2009 15:11:37 | More by Damian

rpstevens

New Hampshire

2.55/5  rDev -36.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a bottle into a tulip.

The beer looks promising to start, pale straw color with a thin white head that leaves a little lacing. Very active carbonation.

The smell is slightly funky and sour with nice notes of lemon and hay. There is a bit too much malt present in the nose for my taste though.

The bread and malt really take over the taste of the beer. There are some notes of hay, citrus, lemon, grass and there's a mild hop as well, but the bready undertone kind of ruins those flavors. The funk and sour from the nose are also not present in the flavor at all.

There is a slight alcohol burn and sweetness that are not very pleasant. The beer is well carbonated and very light-bodied, but the malty/bready flavor is unpleasant and the aftertaste is awkward and indescribable.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2009 23:23:33 | More by rpstevens

jampics2

Ohio

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle @ Buckeye Sour Tasting 2009. Wasn't a sour at all, but one of the many nice wild ales that were available. Overall, my favorite of the 3 we tried - the Pinhead, demon Fish, and this This was just more consistent, balanced, and appealing. Would try again!

A = Straw colored, nice amount of carbonation.

S = Smells like light malt and a serious case of the funks. This one had a bit less wild than the others in the nose. Horsehair and mustiness present.

T = Light, citrus then a bretty malt combo. Holds together well - neither flavor is distinct enough to conflict. Great aftertaste, far better than the other 2.

M = Light but a bit more to it than the others we tried. Seems good for the style.

D = Best of the three we tried. I would have another - not another 750ml, but another pour ;)

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2009 15:39:41 | More by jampics2

tai4ji2x

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle with synthetic cork printed with FPO100. poured into tulip. tasted in early april 2009

very mild gusher, but all the murky, lumpy yeast thus rises up and into the beer! golden straw color with amber tones. big fluffy white head fades slowly, leaving a meringue in the center, and gradually shrinks to a thin foamy layer. great lacing.

aroma: farmhouse and barn funkiness with overripe apple and pears. hint of white grape. grass and wet hay, then more leathery brett and barn funk. hint of spice and herbs with the gentle phenols. hint of orange peel.

taste: sweet, lightly toasted malts and fruity noes (pear, white grape, touch of citrus), meet with gentle acidity and moderate, hay-like hop bitterness, moving into light phenols, before moderate leather and barn funk, with with a pleasant sweetness to it all, and a off-dry finish with hints of leather and oak.

medium body, smooth, with flash of astringency and faint acidity in the finish. creamy consistency, helped along with the moderate carbonation.

i was apprehensive, after my experience with demon fish, but this is quite nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2009 08:04:41 | More by tai4ji2x