Allagash Confluence Ale - Allagash Brewing Company

Immortale25

Florida

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Due South Brewing Co. Snifter. Label says March 2011. Thank you so much BlackBelt5112203

A- Pours a hazy dark straw color with a full inch of fizzy white head that soon shrinks to a thin ring around the edge of the glass and light surface foam. Sudsy, non-resilient lacing.

S- Wonderfully funky aroma with light citrusy hops and some lemongrass. Very effervescent.

T- Zesty flavor with some mild bitterness and light amount of sour from the Brett. Has that barnyard funk taste but is delicately balanced and easy to drink. Notes of lemon, apple and honeydew.

M- Probably the best part. High carbonation creates a champagne-like spritz to reinforce the light body. Dry afterfeel

O- This was plucked just in time as there were slight traces of skunking but it held up in the bottle magnificently. Such a unique and complex brew that words almost don't do it justice.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 01:47:36 | More by Immortale25

Pinknuggets

Vermont

3.76/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

On tap to wine glass 2011 vintage

A: light golden yellow color that is semi transparent and somewhat cloudy. There is a white head that goes away quickly and leaves a thin lacing

S: light wheat smell with a little bit of funk but not much there some malt but really badly anything there

T: there is a light taste of wheat and a little bit of Brett funk in the finish but it is barly noticeable tastes watered down to me

M: definitely thin and very watered down oily smooth though and definitely goes down easy

0: it wasn't a bad expierence and golden ales aren't normally my thing but this one really didnt do much for me it's not bad but not great idk if I would recommend it

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 00:51:59 | More by Pinknuggets

jgammoniv

Maine

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

Slightly hazy golden color with thin head.
Fruity slightly bready nose
smooth mouthfeel
notes of banana citrus and a mild bitter finish.
Overall a mildly sour beer with lots of fruitiness and fresh hop bitter
this was the June 2012 bottle. would like to try an older version.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 02:18:21 | More by jgammoniv

ClarkHimself

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Part of a birthday bottle package from my cousin Tim... thanks Timmer!

A: Nice creamy white cloud of head that subsides to a gentle lacing around the glass. Nice sticky-icky from start to finish.

S: Smells "funky," in the best of ways. I think this is where the Brett really comes out. Hits my salivary glands like a swift kick to the groin.

T: After that nice funky sour smell, it's really strange to NOT get the mouth-puckering deliciousness that usually follows. It was a pleasant surprise though, as this beer is crazy well-balanced. Slight citrus-tart with a nice hop presence.

M: Nice carbonation. Feels as a pale ale should, not heavy but has a presence.

O: Awesome.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 00:04:33 | More by ClarkHimself

MagicJeff

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into my snifter

Appearance: Not much head, straw body.

Smell: Bready lemon. Some slight funk and slight banana. Hay.

Taste: Slightly tart citrus lemon. Some clove and a little spice from the alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied and very drinkable.

Overall: The only reason I pulled the trigger on this one is that Total Wine knocked the price down to $12 for a bomber. Which is fair IMO--not sure if it's worth having at $19.99. Either way, it's a well crafted beer and I would like to try other offerings from Allagash.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 00:17:44 | More by MagicJeff

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled june 12. consumed nov. 12.

A: Dense lemon peel coloring shows a vibrant life of effervesce. A sea-shell white head is milky, frothy, with an excellent stay of retention and sticky lacing.

S: Musky barnyard, hay, lemons with a decent amount of strength.

T: Funky lemon barnyard flair, lightly tart but followed by a sweet, grainy and lemony flair. Spicy hops, pilsner style grainy backbone with a lemony tart finish.

M: Grainy mouthful, yeasty warmth, tiny micro-bubble feel adds texture.

O: Exceptionally clean and crisp, the craftsmenship is in the smooth and well toned flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 23:12:49 | More by beerthulhu

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

16oz Growler batch code 2532 per the keg collar. Served at around 45F.

Pours clear golden amber with a tiny white head that leaves small spots of lacing and recedes to a very wispy cap.

Fruity aroma of apples, lemon, some vinegar, some funk, apples and lemon mostly. Good strength.

Flavor is more apple and lemon, citrus, honey, lightly funky, moderate sweetness in the middle, mild bitterness, mild alcohol.

Mouthfeel is on the light side of medium bodied, oily, light carbonation.

Pretty good wild ale, but not complex enough really to warrant the high price tag on the bottles. Luckily the price per ounce on a growler fill was half that of the bottles so a worthwhile purchase to try something new.

Serving type: growler

11-26-2012 04:09:12 | More by elgiacomo

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

superspak

Michigan

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

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled in January 2009 (pushing 4 years old). Cork blew off as soon as I untwisted the cork, no beer was lost to gushing. Pours hazy golden amber color with a nice 2-3 finger fluffy white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty foamy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of huge tart apple, lemon zest, orange, pear, strawberry, hay, grass, barnyard funk, earth, herbal, pepper, and yeast spiciness. Fantastic aromas with great balance and complexity. Taste of lemon, pear, apple, orange zest, hay, grass, earth, herbal, pepper, funk, and light yeast spiciness. Light earthy tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of light fruit, citrus, grass, hay, pepper, funk, earth, and yeast spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Great balance and complexity of flavors; zero cloying flavors on the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a lightly creamy and very crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with nearly zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic Belgian strong pale with brett added! Awesome flavor complexity and balance; and very smooth and crisp to sip on. An incredibly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 03:05:32 | More by superspak

kojevergas

California

3.68/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

June 2012 vintage. 7.40%. 750 ml brown glass bottle with hood and wire cap over a cork acquired at Wally's Wine in Westwood, California for $24.99 (ouch!) and served into a Uinta pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are quite high; I love Allagash. That said, Odyssey was a disappointment, and I'm usually underwhelmed by brett based beers that are supposedly excellent. Plus, this beer's price really gives it big shoes to fill.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Poured slowly per the label's instructions. No carbonation issues are expected.

A: Pours a four finger beige colour head of pleasant rolling foam, nice thickness, some cream, and great retention for the high ABV. Body colour is a murky pale yellow; nontransparent but non-opaque. No yeast particles are visible, but then I did pour slowly and this is the top of a 750. No bubble show. There's nothing unique or particularly special about it, but it looks generally appealing.

Sm: Lemongrass accompanied by pleasant lemon citrus twang. Grassy and lightly fruity - bright fruit. Somewhat tropical but not from hops per se; I even get some mango or perhaps pineapple. A gorgeous brettanomyces aroma; probably the best I've ever experienced. Some yeast with little Belgian or biscuit character at all. Some lavender and middling insubstantial spicing. It's definitely alive. Soft and fragrant, yet understated and subtle. Angelic and light. I'm quite excited to try it, but I'm not sensing a whole lot of depth or complexity here. I think based the aroma its subtlety will be its strength. A mild strength aroma.

T: Wow. Light subtle hopping complements the clean build of the foundation, adding masterfully light strokes of well-layered citrus and touches of lemongrass all over it. Very nicely balanced, with a clean bright pale malt foundation. Pineapple, mango, and other bright fruits come through but always in little fleeting touches. Not at all artificial. Lightly tart - ever so subtle and hardly noticeable until you identify it. Delightfully bretty, without being too biscuity or yeasty. It's very refreshing and enjoyable. I've never experienced bretts so well used. It has just enough body. No alcohol is detectable; I'd probably guess this was 6% if you asked me blind. Pear, lavender, spices, light phenols for the pretentious-minded, and incredibly subtly executed lemon notes throughout. This is not the crappy lemon you find in many beers in this style; it works well here and is reserved. A fascinating beer in the style, but as predicted it does impress with subtlety rather than complexity. Very well put together. Bravo, Allagash.

Mf: Silky smooth with some seeping coarseness in the second act to coax out the flavour. Perfect dryness for the style, suiting the flavours obscenely well. Clean, refreshing, and light. Seems tailored to its specific flavours. It gets more wet and smooth on the finish for a refreshing effect. Ludicrously good.

Dr: Extremely drinkable. Refreshing at its high ABV - which you'd never notice. One of the few pricey brett beers that's really impressed me. That said, it is rather pricey for its quality. Yes, it's very good. But it isn't great. I'm pleased with it having had it once, but I don't know that I'd try it again from the bottle. Probably on draught. I could quaff this all night, and I'm looking forward to finishing the bottle. Nice to see a brett beer with a little tartness. Another success from Allagash. I just wish it was about half its price.

A great candidate for pairing with simple couscous, a light simple salad, or plain unsalted pretzels.

Probably a decent candidate for aging.

Serve cold.

B

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 03:59:58 | More by kojevergas

wedge

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

@ Ridgewood

Hazy golden-yellow color under a small, white head. Delightful sour, funky brett aroma: cherry, tart fruit, citris acidity, faint sugar cookie malt. Tart flavor, not so funky as the smell. Dry citrus rind, pepper, and fruit. Medium bodied, smooth, lightly carbonated. Very refreshing and easy to drink. Nice to find this on tap. I tend to overlook Allagash a lot because I have a hard time dropping $20 on a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2012 15:55:49 | More by wedge

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

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

Poured from tap into mason jar glass at coalhouse pizza, stamford, CT. Pours a golden slight orange color with slight slight head. Man I wish this was poured into a correct glass...
Nice brett/funk aromas, slight sweetness of malts. Taste of sweet grapevine malts, some mild funk and slight noble hop. Its super smooth and east drinker and a great intro into wild beers. Overall, good solid wild ale.

Serving type: on-tap

10-07-2012 17:29:12 | More by DrinkSlurm

inlimbo77

Delaware

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

Confluence
10oz Allagash taster
Draft

A: Pours a slightly hazy yellow gold color. Thin line of bright white head. Leaves some lacing. Lots of carbonation. Pretty beer here.

S: Smells of Brett and some white grape. That barnyard funkiness. Also getting the other customary players, lemon and tart green apple. Doesn't smell overly aggressive on the sour side or anything.

T: Flavor follows the smell. On the tip of the tongue you get some hop character, light citrus hops. Middle of the mouth you get that Brett character. Lemons. Touch of pepper. Apples and citrus. Dry wine like finish.

M: Very carbed. Between light and medium.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2012 14:04:01 | More by inlimbo77

jaasen64

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Publick House. 12oz serving into a chalice.

A- Slightly hazy yellowish golden with about a quarter finger of foamy white head that has minimal bubbles but nice retention that leaves spotty lacing. Not too much carbonation.

S- Slightly tart lemon with spices, some citrus hops, and a bit of earthiness. Not too tart and definitely more spices then your average wild. About average to slightly above average aroma strength.

T- Lightly tart lemon, spices, some light hops, finishes with a weird aftertaste that almost resembles a slightly tart Belgian Triple with a slight artificial almost plastic taste. I did not care for the finish on this beer at all.

M- Fairly light, pretty much no alcohol burn which makes it fairly easy to drink, the light tartness is felt more on the tongue with a tingling effect more then in the taste or smell.

O- I wasn't overly impressed with this beer. I guess being a wild from Allagash and being highly recommended from the bar tender I was expecting a lot more. To me the beer felt like a slightly lemony Triple that they tried to sour a little bit. There wasn't much tartness and the tartness that was there I felt just didn't fit in the beer very well. I probably wouldn't order this again, but I could maybe see how some people might like it.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2012 11:54:32 | More by jaasen64

mdfb79

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From 09/20/12 notes. Pick this up at the Whole Foods on Bowery in NYC a few days ago, poured from a 750ml bottle into my Bell's tulip.

a - Pours a hazy bright yellow color with one finger of fluffy white head and moderate carbonation evident. Looks pretty good.

s - Smells of citrus hops, Brett, oranges, oak, lemon, earthy notes, light funk, and some apples and fruity malts. Very nice and lots of brett which I like.

t - Tastes of brett, oranges, fruity malts, lemon, citrus hops, hay, earthy notes, and bready malts. Taste has more lemon and citrus than the nose. Again, very nice.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation, pretty easy to drink. Pretty smooth mouthfeel.

o - Overall a very nice beer and another solid wild from Allagash. Not a sour beer at all, but some light funk and a ton of oranges and brett. Very easy to drink and something I would certainly recommend if you like brett. I will certainly be having it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 17:45:04 | More by mdfb79

merc7186

New York

3.93/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Id like to thank Sandman3479 for sharing this bottle.

A: Hazy Golden Straw Hue, Passes Most Light, Thick White Head, Great Lacing

S: Brett, Mild Pepper, Mild Belgian Yeast

T: Belgian Yeast, Brett, Mild Belgian Sugar

M: Great Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Mildly Funky

Overall, a good belgian brett beer but don't expect a Brett blow out.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 02:48:13 | More by merc7186

Philousa

California

3.23/5  rDev -20%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Imbibed at Good Karma on 9/4/12.

Pours a pale yellow orange, clear. Delicate head that laces well. Lemon hits the nose first, then a slightly sour note. Sour, not funky. Malt is all but undetectable, but I'd guess Belgian or German Pils due to its barely there aroma. I can't tell if I'm just not getting any hops or if it's the lemon I'm getting. Some very slight berry aroma as well. Light malt and lemon hints start the taste off. Definite Brett funkiness comes out in the flavor. Then it goes bitter, but it's fairly mild. Grassy and herbal. MF is more viscous than what I would have expected from the nose, but it makes sense when you see the ABV. I suspect some sugar was used in the boil, as this is a dry finishing beer.

Respectable sour, somewhat complex, but it needs something to give the malt some character. It's fleeting as it is. A fruity tone or malt flavor would make this more than a stage for something else.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2012 18:02:51 | More by Philousa

Jamesthebrit

Michigan

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

A: Poured into an allagash glass with a leaf on the bottom. Bubble rise slowly and form a wispy head. Color or the beer is a golden light color with a slight hint of red.

S: Very fruity. Strawberry, grape, orange, cherry. Light but lots of complexity.

T: Initially a little musty like a belgian then a slight hit of fruit and a huge malt finish. It's a little too musty for me and doesn't hit very acutely.

M: Sits with a good body. But that must! Musty musty musty.... clean dry finish is very nice though.

I had high hope for this beer and with the smell I was expecting something more fruity in taste. The taste was overwhelmed by must (I do suppose it's a wild ale...) and I wasn't a big fan. Very nice finish though. Maybe worth checking out but not blowing my mind.

Serving type: growler

08-31-2012 21:19:11 | More by Jamesthebrit

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured on-tap and served in a vase, the beer is a light, pale, lemon-yellow coloring with a sparse coating of white film. Aromas of white grape and cherry, semisweet and a bit sour. Flavors are subtle and lightly sour, with the grape flavors holding the palate. Similar to a pinot gris, but fuller bodied and carbonated. The aftertaste is light, and slightly filmy. Clean, crisp aftertaste. Very easy to drink, and very refreshing.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2012 00:53:09 | More by GarthDanielson

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2010 Vintage on-tap at the Ginger Man in Norwalk, CT.

A-Pours a hazed golden hue. Head is off-white and large. Head looks like an uncooked biscuit. It retains excellently. Very attractive brew.

S-Whoa! This beer smells musty and dusty. Funky. Smells like hay and dirt. Spices and yeast along with vibrant pale-fleshed fruitiness. Very unique and complex.

T-Tastes like the nose. Dusty and musty. Funky yeast and underlying spices. Has an almost vinous flavor. The 2 years spent sitting around really meshed the flavors well with one another.

M-Lighter bodied with tons of bubbles. Dry, dry, dry. Easy to imbibe.

O/D-Didi not know what to expect from this beer and I was definitely surprised. I enjoyed it but did not love it. It was worth a try but I was left a bit disappointed.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2012 15:38:24 | More by VelvetExtract

UCLABrewN84

California

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap for Allagash night at Boneyard Bistro in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Pours a murky light yellow with an off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy splotches of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain, spices, and some light sour/tart lemon-like aromas. Taste is very much the same but there is also a yeast flavor that I am getting as well. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer but it's a very mild sour all around.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2012 05:09:37 | More by UCLABrewN84

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Split a cork and caged 750 from the 2011 march vintage,

A: pours a hazy golden, with a billowing three finger white head that has beautiful retention and a ton of lacing.

S: nice sour Brett funk, a bit of floralness, and citrus, lemon, yeast, smells very nice, a faint almost white wine like aroma, earthy like a sauv blanc.

T- much like the nose, citrusy with a bit of floralness and grass, and pleanty of funk, sour notes blend nicley, again almost reminds me of sauv blanc notes, very nicley balanced. Belgiany. It not to belgiany. The balance if Belgian yeast and Brett is excellent.

M- creamy and velvety with a dry finish, medium bodied with medium effervescent carbonation, you can feel the bubbles but they are not over done, the carbonation seems spot on for the style.

O- A great brew, nice and funky and refreshing, very drinkable, very well balanced, and very nicley done, this would be awesome on a warm summer evening, love it.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 03:26:24 | More by PeterIngemi

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

fabulous Belgian, and I am so glad I aged it and it worked.Belgian yeast aroma, a bit funky. Delicious complex poached fruit, what a treat with supper.Creamy soft mouthfeel with a drop of lemon in the finish.Mellow and masterful.
2012 just as good, from bottle at brewery tasting room. Brett, funky, house yeast. Cloudy blonde with large head (and I didn't pour!) A little marmalade taste.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 02:47:20 | More by northyorksammy

Rukasu

District of Columbia

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

Poured into a goblet, pours a hazy pale gold with a thick, dense, long-lasting white head.

Crazy floral scents--beach rose, lavender maybe, and sweet fruits.

Floral taste carries over. Slight bitterness from the wild yeasts, sweetness with white grape notes, grass, and earth

Light, champagne-like effervescence. Light bodied which makes it surprisingly easy drinking.

(750ml bottle - Mar. 2011 edition)

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 03:31:39 | More by Rukasu

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

March 2011 version

A: Pours a hazy golden yellow with a two finger tall fluffy white head. Great head retention and great lacing on this beer.

S: Light to moderate aromas of sourness, lemon, and vanilla.

T: Flavors of wheat upfront followed by sourness and some black pepper. Very well balanced.

M: Light bodied with a light amount of carbonation and a very dry finish.

O: Very approachable and very drinkable - this would be a great introductory beer for someone that had no prior experience with brett. Very sessionable and a regular beer for me (I think I have consumed like four 750 ml bottles in the last six months)

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 14:58:04 | More by dbrauneis