Allagash Confluence Ale - Allagash Brewing Company

Holland

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

2012 version poured into Ithaca tulip.

A: thin, clear, straw to gold in color, with a small head that leaves half of the top covered.

S: lemon zest, sourness, slight sweetness. The smell really falls flat after tasting it, but the first smell made me think this was a wild ale.

T: taste is very light, a little disappointing. It's slightly bitter and a bit fruity, but doesn't come close to the smell.

M: medium carbonation on a medium-light body makes for a crisp taste, but it has a very slightly chalky finish.

O: pretty average beer overall. Drinkability is high, but at the price of $20 per 750ml bottle, skip it.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 02:37:22 | More by Holland

darklordlager

Wisconsin

3.08/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Finally cracked the first beer I ever traded for. Reviewed 9/21/10.

A: Brilliant crystal-clear golden with a large head that dies down quickly but is easily roused.

S: Brett-y barnyard aroma greets the senses, along with some citric notes. Smells a bit chalky.

T: Citrus and barnyard as in the aroma. Has the funky horse-y taste of Wyeast's B. Brux, but the tartness and citric flavours of the B. Lambicus with which I am familiar. Finishes extraordinarily dry. Light fruitiness throughout--likely from a Belgian primary yeast (?) --Phenols are prominent, which are a bit distracting, with a "burnt" flavour that emerges as it opens up/warms.

M: Highly carbonated, nauseatingly so. Clashes with the bone-dry finish. Switched to an etched glass in an attempt to neutralize it, to no avail.

D: Having had NG R&D Golden Ale recently (and at nearly 1/2 the cost per mL) I much prefer that. The high carbonation and phenol/ester character with plastic-y notes I do not appreciate.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 02:49:52 | More by darklordlager

Dubber55

New York

2.93/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

2010, not sure what month

Into a Founders snifter, pours a honey/golden color with some orange higlights. Still in the glass. A few bubbles sitting on top that dissipate pretty quickly. No head and no visible carbonation.

Smells like horse blanket, sweat, lemon, oak, and some other citrus.

Taste follows the smell- Lemon, lime, oak, lots of green apple, wet hay, and leather. Its kind of acidic. The wild yeast is pretty strong in the flavor profile. Reminds me of Orval and Grand Cru Brouscella. Tastes similar to a white wine and cider. There is also some kind of salty and sweaty taste I am getting as well.

Mouthfeel is kind of thick. Its definitly coating as well. Pretty much no carbonation.

I wouldnt buy this again. Its pretty tanic and acidic. There is nearly no carbonation and that doesnt help.

Serving type: growler

04-15-2011 21:14:38 | More by Dubber55

Hojaminbag

Colorado

2.88/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I tried this beer at the EBF and wasn't very impressed, but I decided to give it another try when I saw it on tap.

Hazy, apricot colored body with only a thing crown of head that has no lacing or retention to speak of.

There is a lot going on this aroma. Lemony, a slight punch of hops. Cheese, "horse blanket," and all of the musty (yet positive) descriptions that bretts tend to get.

Sometimes something can smell pretty good but not taste all that great. It is rare, but I believe Allagash confluence fits this description. Only the slightest tartness comes through at any point. The slight musty flavor, like old cheese, surfaces and is subsequently strangled by a huge hop profile: Huge for a wild ale that is. That is about it. This would probably improve considerably with age, but I do not plan on giving it that chance.

Light, crisp, no puckering. Maybe even a little bitter and dry.

Not something that is terribly drinkable. I love Allagash, but this one just doesn't do it for me.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2009 16:28:11 | More by Hojaminbag

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.88/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Dullish and hazy orange, massive haze and white head to it. Chunky. Nose was largely caramel related, didn't really pick up anything fruity or sour from it, nor did was there any barrel aromas going on.

Taste, was a little offputting from the start, still lacked a sour or fruit profile, just seemed too plain. Was like a cross between a kolsch, berlinerweisse and hefeweizen. Carbonation was up like a kolsch, mild lemon and super mild tart like a berliner and the chewy haze and yeast of a hefe. And throw in some mineral water and hops solely for bittering. For $23? No way.

I have a bottle of this chillin at the pad, I hope it develops better than what I had on tap. I guess I'll have to search for the flavors that are supposed to be there, because I didn't find them the first time around.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2011 17:35:36 | More by Beerandraiderfan

largadeer

Kentucky

2.8/5  rDev -30.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Appearance: Golden colored, clear and bright, with two fingers of lasting head.

Smell: Musty, mildly funky in a very phenolic, plasticy sort of way, with some grassy, herbal hops on top of it all. Dry hopped plastic barn.

Taste & mouthfeel: Herbal hoppiness and astringent husky grain, bit of green apple. Phenolic, yeasty, mildly funky but more rubbery than anything. The crisp, dry texture is nice, but that's unfortunately the only nice aspect of this beer. More mediocre overpriced beer from Allagash, woohoo.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2009 05:00:23 | More by largadeer

rudzud

Massachusetts

2.6/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

From notes taken on 9/7, on tap at the Armsby Abbey. I dont know what the deal was with this, but as my review shows, something was definately off.

A - Clear light amber pour with a nice light one finger pour that results in very gentle lacing.

S - Very, very light funk/brett aroma and sour citrus. Incredibly muted aromas.

T - Whats going on here? In all honesty, this doesnt really taste like any wild ale I've ever head. I really doubted that I was given the right brew. Anyways, very, very weak flavors. Tastes like watery citrus and watery funk. Very shocked and confused.

M - Low carbonation but not in a syrupy sense. Just feels well, watery. Talking macro watery.

D - I know damn well this is a good beer but what happened with this pour? Bad batch? A mispour? Something happened here that just wasnt good. Such a shame too.

Serving type: on-tap

09-09-2010 04:03:53 | More by rudzud

Overlord

California

2.55/5  rDev -36.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Pours a hazy orange gold. Surprisingly robust white head.

Smells like musty old cheese, musty hay, and musty pears.

Taste is all over the place. Just a jumbled, confused mess. Lacks any sort of coherent focus. Strange bittering hops, a muffled, unpleasant sour barnyard flavor instead of a sharp acidic one, and hanging over it all a very unappealing musty/rotten grass component.

Mouthfeel okay, but just not a good beer. Its various component flavors and aroma just did not find any sort of harmonic ... confluence.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2009 09:09:05 | More by Overlord