Allagash Interlude - Allagash Brewing Company

glid02

Georgia

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

Cask at Hotoberfest - sampled multiple times.

Pours a hazy golden color with a pillowy two-finger white head. The head recedes into a thin layer leaving solid lacing.

Smells of sweet medium malts with large amounts of ripe pear aromas. Also present are mild amounts of funk - wet hay mostly - with hints of grassiness. The funk aromas intensify as the beer warms.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Lightly grainy yet sweet medium malt flavors kick things off. Joining in shortly thereafter are good amounts of sweet pear flavors. Midway through the sip the flavor profile dries out a bit as the pear flavors tarten up a bit and becomes more funky - wet hay as with the aroma. The funky flavors carry through to a crisp ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a smooth thickness with soft carbonation.

Drinkability is also good. I finished my glass without any problems and could have another.

Overall this was a solid beer however the different flavors didn't seem to meld terribly well. Still, it's worth a shot.

Serving type: cask

10-10-2010 21:41:29 | More by glid02

ToasterChef

Maine

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed form my notes; poured as part of Novare Res' Allagash-aganza. Server was not sure if this was a 2008 or 2009 cask.

The beer had a tiny head of soapy bubbles. They were slightly off-white. I could see rising carbonation making its way from the bottom of my chalice to the top. The liquid was translucent with a dark orange color. A good coating was left behind after I swirled the beer.

The aroma was fruity, sweet and funky. There was a bit of musty yeast right at the end.

The beer tastes crisp and sweet with a light puckering funk at the end. The sweetness isn't sugary, but more like that natural sweetness you find in fruit. I can taste white grapes and peaches. The aftertaste shows off the wine barrels--it actually tastes like the aftertaste of a glass of wine. It's a very impressive flavor.

It has a medium body. There is a lot of playful carbonation. They, and the sour qualities, provide a tangible sharpness in each swallow. The actual mouthcoat is light, but packs a lot of flavor.

It's a very drinkable beer. I can't see this one getting old at all. The alcohol is well hidden. The sourness is there but never oppressive. I highly recommend this beer.

Serving type: cask

05-13-2010 14:26:44 | More by ToasterChef

joepais

Maine

4.2/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass it was a little less carbonated than the bottle I had but it was to be expected from a cask pour. The brew was a slightly cloudy burnt orange with a light ring of bubbles at the top of the glass.

I got aromas of funk and fruit, berries and blankets LOL. It has a great nose ant the flavor is up there too it is a nice sour. Not to mouth puckering and fruity enough to keep it real drinkable. The feel in my mouth was great but it needed some more carbonation.

Two glasses of this was my limit but I enjoyed every drop. It is somewhat pricey but worth it for a special occasion

Serving type: cask

11-18-2009 01:36:39 | More by joepais

Hojaminbag

Colorado

4/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a beer I've tried many times and never gor around to reviewing. This sample is from a cask at Sunset grill and tap in Allston, MA. I tried 3 just to get it right...

An amber to ruby colored body with a big head.

Smell has some fruit in it, sour brett, pale malts.

Sourness is noticeable throughout, with some cherrry and other fruit characteristics in the background. Finish reveals the malt, which tastes more like just oats or barleys than malted barley. In the very end I can detect just a touch of alcohol, but it's weak.

Mouthfeel is hard to grade on casks for me, but this is somewhat viscous and a little dry from the sourness.

Extremely drinkable, a great beer.

Serving type: cask

09-26-2008 15:27:18 | More by Hojaminbag

superspak

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, August 2008 vintage. Pours very hazy reddish copper color with a 1-2 finger foamy off white head with decent retention, that reduces to a nothing. Minimal lacing on the glass, with some moderate streaming carbonation. Aromas of big sour apple, lemon, grape, cherry, straw, hay, clove, pepper, oak, leather, funk, and earthy yeast spiciness. Fantastic aromas with great complexity and balance of wild yeast character and barrel notes. Taste of tart apple, lemon, grape, cherry, pepper, clove, oak, wheat, hay, straw, grass, leather, funk, and earthy yeast spiciness. Light earthy tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of tart light fruits, oak, pepper, clove, wheat, leather, hay, straw, grass, funk, and earthy yeast spiciness on the finish for a while. Very nice balance and complexity of malt and wild yeast flavors; with a nice malt/ester flavors balance; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a slick, crisp, and fairly prickly mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a small warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent wild saison style. Very nice balance and complexity of wild yeast esters and malt notes; and quite smooth to sip on. A very enjoyable offering. Would like to try a younger vintage of this in the future to compare.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 03:52:15 | More by superspak

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Blind Tiger.

Beer is cloudy amber in colour. No head.

Nose is tart, with green grape and apple both present. A good dose of yeast. A bit like a tart apple or white grape juice. Nice.

Taste is quite tart. A variety of light fruits are present. I get peach, green apple and grape. Yeasty and bready. A bit of a honey flavour. Also a slight herbal flavour, particularly in the finish. A fair bit going on.

Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Sticky and refreshing.

Overall, quite good.

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2013 02:23:34 | More by jrenihan

Etan

Illinois

3.86/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

750ml into a wine glass.

A: Pours a murky orange-tinged amber with a surprisingly small white head.

S: Sticky citrus, cakey esters, some gamey notes from the brett, dry wine barrel tannins, a bit of pleasant acidity.

T: Very dry vinous tannins dominate the flavor. Light dark fruits from the barrel, oak, slightly fruity brett (a bit of pineapple), ghost of pale malt sweetness. Dry and tannic in the finish.

M: Medium-bodied with light carbonation.

O: While tasty, I would have liked to see a bit more of the base saison shine through.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 02:28:09 | More by Etan

SHerninko

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber bottle at BYOB in Phoenixville, PA (Thanks Owen)

*Appearance is a nice gold color, light saison with some reddish ting.
*Smell is fruity, bubbly, raspberry.
*Taste is like a bubbly wine - Charddonay with a red fruit from the wine barrels.
*Mouthfeel is like a champagne, very carbonated from the Bretts. A bit of a bite from alcohol and bubbles.
*Overall--Good saison taste, the aging in barrels adds to its appeal. I would not seek this again unless someone wanted a bubbly wine tasting beer or to show this as an example of something you would never think to call "beer".

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 15:24:04 | More by SHerninko

wedge

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

@ Flying Saucer (Raleigh)

Clear golden orange body with a slim collar of white foam. Tart, funky aromas greet the nose...grapes, hay, Brett, fruit, and light oak. Flavor follows the smell: tart, slightly sweet grape, Bretty funk, light wood, lemon, and berries. Pretty interesting and satisfying. Dry, medium bodied, tart, and somewhat crisp. Drinks a lot easier than it should...

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2013 01:35:48 | More by wedge

Pinknuggets

Vermont

3.7/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

On tap to wine glass

A: golden honey with a bit of light orange to amber semi transparent but with a bit of cloudiness there is no head

T: there is definitely some of thy standard barn yard taste but I am not getting anything from the wine barrels some tartness to it but not much disappointed

S:there isn't much smell here at all hops funk not much of anything I am confused

M: smooth and oily that is very drinkable and manageable viscosity abv is completely hidden

O: I feel like this beer stopped 10 yrds before the finish line it has a lot of potential to be good but it really isn't there yet which just leaves me confused and kinda disappointed

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2013 00:53:59 | More by Pinknuggets

smakawhat

Maryland

4.4/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass. Vintage 2012 October. Solid pop off the cork with a little bit of nudging.

Really pretty body color, opaque with a real nice peach orange body. Lots of rising thin carbonation. Head is a little off white, kind of soapy but manages some retention and settles slowly to an easy finger puck.

Nose has a good pepper brett sense and nice hints of fresh squeezed lemon. A light sweet malt caramel hides in the back. Pretty solid and mouthwatering, with a jammy apricot sense of sweetness. Hints of sugarsnap cookies and dough also. Real interesting.

Palate is fairly solid on the fruit forward angle. Jammy apricot body with a nice round texture. Doesn't feel as carbonated as expected. Very big full fruit and rich mouthfeel with a nice density. Hints raw cookie dough which seems so odd but fun! Tannic quality is really nice if hardly noticeable, with a good softness.

Overall a real neat take and strangely not wine like, but with great wine character. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 23:46:48 | More by smakawhat

TheAngryBurrito

California

4.43/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a bottle of the 2012 release on New Years day and I am aging two more bottles to be opened in 2014 and 2015. Pours a cloudy light orange color with almost no head. Starts with an orange peel flavor and finishes with an oak bitterness and mild sour notes throughout. Overall it is a little more bitter than I would have liked and I think aging will give the sourness time to build to a more pleasing level. Purchased at Valley Beverage Company in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Re-Review: I tried this again on tap and it was a totally different experience. The Brett flavors were amazing with a perfect balance of fruit, yeast, and sour. Revising score significantly.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 14:59:10 | More by TheAngryBurrito

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.1/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

On-tap 1/3/2013 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a deep gold color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains grapes and other fruits, wild Belgian yeast and caramelized malts.

T: The taste starts out sweet flavors of grapes, caramel and citrus followed by a mild tartness. Then some breadiness comes in from Belgian yeast and a heart but not too heavy male character. There’s a mild but complementary hops presence which brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down dangerously easy, not too filling, strong kick, good representation of style, this is a very solid and complex Belgian-style beer to drink for a long time.

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2013 16:55:38 | More by TheManiacalOne

Jacobob10

New Jersey

4.09/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First time using the new rating system for reviews. Let's give it a shot. Change is good.

On-tap @ Barcade in Brooklyn, NY.

10 oz pour served in a medium-sized red wine globe-shaped glass. Beautiful, slightly hazy, orange, plum color. Very small head that possibly suffered from a lack of carbonation. Unfortunate, as I have a feeling it would have really enhanced the overall experience of the beer.

Right off the bat, the complexity of the aroma can be detected. Lots of ripe fruits, notably apples, plums, and apricots, with some mild citrus in the background. Plenty of sour funk but not overwhelming.

The flavor was sweet, fruity, and sour. A little bit of bready malt to balance things out. Coats the tongue well. Quite refreshing and easy on the palate for such complexity.

A really interesting brew that blurs the lines between saison, gueuze, and red wine. Would love to try it out of the bottle next time to see if the carbonation issues are resolved.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2013 18:18:09 | More by Jacobob10

notchucknorris

California

4.4/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a hazed burnt golden color with a thin bone white head.

S: A bit of a musty an tart smell with notes of Brett, pear, white grape, pale malt and some cherry.

T: A musty funk right away with heavy white grape and triple notes. A definite touch o white wine in the middle with a finish that's heavy on the crackery malt and shows some brett as well. A kind of lingering tartness throughout that never turns sour. Overall a really tasty beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2012 23:21:21 | More by notchucknorris

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pouring a 2008 bottle at cellar temp into a pint glass. The corked and caged 750 bottle is a bit of a gusher upon popping the cork. The beer is a bright clear copper to amber hue. There is some minimal beige to eggshell white heat the fades to nothing fairly quickly after the pour.
Aroma is some booze and dry woody notes with a hit of caramel and dark fruit. I think I get red grape or maybe a general vinous quality.
First sip reveals an average body with soft yet slightly sticky texture. The carbonation is mild and rolls across my palate.
The flavor is rich and malty with caramel, red grapes, some toffee, yeasty funkiness and dry popsicle stick wood notes.
I also get fair amounts of warm booze with each sip and by the end of the bottle it has caught up with me a little.
The beer is very interesting and complex, Im surprised by the amount of heat still left after 4 years, but it is an enjoyable late night brew.

I am glad I drank this now as I dont anticipate it would have improved any more.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 06:09:09 | More by sulldaddy

Dope

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

October 2012 batch, about two months old.

A: Pours a semi-hazy, light amber. Big fluffy light tan head. Fades somewhat quickly, leaving just a speck or two of lacing behind.

S: Lemons, apple and tart grapes with traces of other fruits. Some crackery malt aspect. In fact, I swear I get graham cracker sometime, like graham cracker crust to be specific.

T: Very tart grape skin, apples and lemons up front. Borderline sour (stronger as it warms up), but at least it's crisp. Kind of an oaky leather in the middle mixed with wine. Turns graham cracker in the lingering aftertaste with more traces of tart fruits.

M: Decently full bodied and smooth. Drying on the back end.

O: Tough beer to score. Initial hit is very sour like a wild ale or a really bad saison. But it slowly gets better through the taste - decent in the middle with a really pleasant graham cracker crust aftertaste. I tried not to knock it down too hard, it's well balanced, complex and it has some aspects that I enjoy. But it has some really off flavors too with the extreme funkiness and sour notes. I ended up drain pouring it but tried to give it a fair shake on the scores.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 03:51:03 | More by Dope

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.73/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Meadhall in Cambridge for 12 Brewers of Christmas.

A: Hazy blood orange with shades of brown. Small off-white head.

S: Wonderful sour nose. Like a lambic. Sour, funk, barn. A lot of brett and some barrel.

T: You get the Tripel right away but it's subdued and pushed aside by barrel, wood, funk, yeast, earth, sour fruit, booze, and brett. More of the Tripel base shows itself as it warms. Seriously delicious.

M: Crazy smooth, properly carbonated, huge flavor. A fun beer to drink. Every sip is special.

O: This is everything I was hoping it to be and more. They nailed the style and the barrel/aging/brett component perfectly. Been waiting to try this for years and it completely surpassed my expectations.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2012 02:30:10 | More by Gatch

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours hazy light red with a few bubbles of white head that fades immediately. Slight lacing. I'll also mention here, this was the worst bottle ever as far as uncorking. Took forever, then broke and stuck to the sides of the bottle. Ended up having to push the cork into the bottle to have access and had to filter out cork all glass long.

Aroma features lots of brett with some lemon and spices. Getting almost no wine barrel charcter from the aroma.

Very bretty and fruity up front. Apple and lemon with a heavy brett funk and a bit of oak and spice at the end. I really didn't like this one at all when first opened, but as it approached room temp, some more flavors came together and was actually quite enjoyable by the end. I could use more wine barrel presence and felt it was very lacking. This is more funky than sour as it approached only "tart" in a liberal definition.

Medium mouthfeel. Reached a good creamy texture approaching room temp with a crisp finish from the carbonation. Finishes oaky and dry leaving a good aftertaste.

I had some issues with this beer, but in the end, once it approached room temperature it was a very nice beer although I still feel the wine character was lacking. I'd definitely drink this again after letting it warm, but probably won't go out of my way to get a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 12:58:47 | More by jmarsh123

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Split a 750ml of the October 2012 release

A: pours a beautiful hazy amber with some nice red ruby hues... Almost a finger if whit head, dissapates nicley and leavs some touches of lacing... Looks delicious.

S: tart Brett funk, along with some very nice vinous oak character. Tart notes of lemon and apple slightly soaked in wine...

T: delicious, tart Right up front gong into vinous oak notes, the blend between the wine and fruity yeast notes is superb here, I get notes of apple/pear, peach... Great complexity. Really nicley done.

M: medium creamy body with a nice lag carbonation with just a touch of a crisp bite in the end... Dry and oaky on the finish leaving red wine like notes in the aftertaste.

O: this is a delicious brew, excellent work with the yeast strains and barrels. Excellent balance and great flavor... Give this a try if you get te opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 04:44:28 | More by PeterIngemi

manaconn

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is by far my favorite beer. I first found it three(?) years ago on draught at The Dive in Worcester and immediately I fell in love with it.

It has a nice rich color, slightly tinted red. It's a little surprising at first. It has a tang about it that I have yet to find in any other beer. It's on the sweeter side of beers but not overly sweet.

It's super hard to come by, I have not been able to find a bottle on shelves, try as I may. I think that's attributed to the fact that it's just so delicious and it's only brewed in very small batches. I have been able to get it when it's released to The Dive/Armsby Abbey, it'll last for about a week once a year, and one time at The Sunset Grill & Tap in Allston, in 750mL bottle form last year.

I know I should go on about how wonderful it is but I'm running on empty right now.

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2012 04:34:21 | More by manaconn

inlimbo77

Delaware

4/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml, 2011 Vintage
New Belgium Globe

A: Pours a slightly hazy pinkish orange color. Almost like a blush. Thin layer of bright head. Some lacing bits. Seems to be nicely bottle conditioned. Pretty beer.

S: On the nose, I get mild funk from that Brett strain. Pulling some of those vinous red wine notes. Definitely some of that soft vanilla, oak woodiness. Barnyard funk again.

T: Getting that funk up front, that Brett. Some wine fruit character for sure. Drinking this over a while and tasting that barrel and red wine character comes up even more as it warms. The alcohol definitely comes up too, as it is 9.4%. Dry vinous finish. Like the description, it's almost tanic on the back end.

M: Medium bodied with nice carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 15:14:01 | More by inlimbo77

abrand

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml corked and caged bottle from June 2009 poured into tulip glass.

Pours a bright amber color with essentially zero head. Very good clarity and color. Smell is pretty funky with plenty of yeast. Some doughs and fruit are also noticed. Taste is fairly dry with a nice tartness. Some fruit comes through as well. Mouthfeel is pretty dry but light. Overall this is really nice. Pretty dry but still some sourness.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 01:29:58 | More by abrand

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2007 bottle. Thank you, Hoppypocket!

Appearance. Pours amber with a little haze and almost 2 fingers of just off-white head, minimal retention.

Smell. Sweet and tart cherries and a bit of funky brett and old wood. Just a little apple, lemon and spice. Smells really nice.

Taste. Whoa! Tons of oaky vanilla and dry, funky brett. Some sweet red wine and a bit of cherry and spice. Low in the sourness and sweet which was a bit of a surprise from the smell. Dry finish.

Mouthfeel. Medium-full body with medium-low, fine carbonation. A bit of booze warmth.

Overall. A well made beer, but not what I look for in a wild. To dry and not enough sour for the nice fruity flavours present ...for this guy anyways.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 02:43:18 | More by Rutager

Boto

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2007 bottle opened in 2012: The bottle opened with a loud "pop" and a little foam overflow. It poured a cloudy, murky lighter caramel color. It had a small off-white head that dissipated quickly. It did leave some lacing. Getting a whiff of sourness to the nose. Aromas include wheat, lemon, breadiness, spices and some oakiness. The taste is excellent. Touch of sour funkiness to it. Wheat, lemon, spice and oakiness also. Excellent!

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 14:35:58 | More by Boto