Allagash Confluence Ale - Allagash Brewing Company

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

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer is hazy yellow in color. It poured with a finger high white head that gradually died down but has excellent retention properties and consistently left a thin head covering the surface.
S: There are light to moderately strong aromas of oak and sourness in the nose.
T: A light to moderate amount of sourness from the brettanomyces is present in this beer, which also has flavors of wheat with notes of lemons. The finish has some hints of spices.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate with a moderate to high amount of carbonation. There is a slight amount of bitterness in the finish.
O: This beer is very easy to drink and the alcohol is well hidden from the taste. The sourness is a nice complement but does not overpower the other aromas or flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 14:48:04 | More by metter98

SLeffler27

New York

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

Fills a flute glass with huge, tight, sparkling white meringue that lasts a long time, ultimately depositing a patchwork of lace. Confluence is a hazy, honey-gold exploding with carbonation. The head lasts right through to the final sip.

Fills nostrils with fermented apples and earthy peat, while sweet white wine and light spices linger in the background.

Equal parts of sour and tart with balancing bitterness. Peaches, marmalade and hot pepper accentuate with grapefruit and sour dough bread. One will find the finish is long and sour with a sharp, tart twist.

A full body with vigorous carbonation. There is some alcohol and astringency. Overall, quite dry.

Refreshing and could easily replace champagne as a celebratory beverage. Regardless of the occasion, Confluence works well as a before dinner drink and I can imagine relaxing with it on a hot afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 22:36:11 | More by SLeffler27

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

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

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #55 (August 2011):

Bring on the funk! Hazed-over yellow color, ample frothing. Smells of eucalyptus, lavender, green peppercorn, orange blossom, honey, ripe pears and a hint of white wine. Impeccable smoothness, nearly silky. Dry malt backbone lends more of a dried grass flavor. Mild tartness from the house Brett strain used; dried fruit and wild medicinal herbs run- ning wild all over the palate. Phenolic herbal flavor is pretty bitter—sure, there are some hops in there as well. Nearly bone-dry finish with lots of lingering complexities. Funk-o-licious!

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 13:11:07 | More by BeerAdvocate

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap in a snifter at Bangers and Lace.

Appearance: Confluence has a faded dark yellow color, further muted by a haziness in the center of the glass. A frothy white head is modest in size from the tap pour but lingers for the duration of the glass, leaving a few splotches of lace down the glass.

Smell: The malt base is crackery, with some white pepper and spice that helps the smell pop. Some lemon zest, white pepper, and musty funk. The aroma is wild, yet delicate and not very complex.

Taste: The flavor starts with a fair cracker malt base, with some white pepper and general spiciness. Throughout the rest of the sip, a mellow lemon zest tartness blends with a Bretty funk. Nothing about the flavor feels that full developed, though. A chalky mineral flavor seems to protrude here and there as well.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the light side, with a full, creamy carbonation that has a bit of a crisp bite to it as well. Overall, it has a relaxed feel.

Overall: The first problem is that this is built using the Saison style as a base, which is not my favorite beer. Even so, Oro de Calabaza and Fantôme Saison are much more enjoyable. This is just a mediocre attempt at a wild. Maybe more time would improve it, or maybe it is better in the bottle, but I was not impressed. If the goal is to create a mild wild, they have succeeded.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2011 07:02:37 | More by KickInTheChalice

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

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

On Tap at TJ's for their 8th Anniversary.

Confluence has a bright gold going into hay yellow color to it with a sparse amount of loose white bubbles, not creamy in looks and no streaks. Smell is grassy with some light fruit, pear, a nice whiff of minir bugs, brett. Some flower essense becoming pungent over time. Taste comes off with alot of refined brett with spicy Belgian yeast with some bitterness on the end. Not all that sour, I could not say this is even tart, more like a saison with brett in taste and feel. Confluence has a mediumish feel with active bubbles off the tap. This has a lot going for it taste wise but it aint all that wild. I would/could drink a bunch of this but at $25 a bottle i'll pass. Glad it's off the spout.

Serving type: on-tap

12-05-2011 04:56:04 | More by onix1agr

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First had: ?
I don't remember when or where I first had this brew, but this review will apply to a recent tasting at TJ's in Paoli, PA.

Poured into a tulip glass a clear golden yellow. A fluff of white head was visible at the tap, but my glass was filled to the brim, so there was really no room for a head of any kind. Light aroma, grassy, flowery, with tones of light fruits: pear, peach, white grapes. The taste follows the smell, with a light fruitiness--pear, peach, white grapes, apple skin--not too thick or overbearing, grassy with a touch of funk, and hints of spicy yeast. Light mouthfeel, pretty dry in the finish, and quite drinkable overall, but not overly flavorful, and I do like my wild ale to be loaded with flavor. But this is still a nice selection, and lesser on the sour side for those who don't like sour beers.

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2011 21:24:18 | More by Rifugium

celticfutblclub

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

2011 version. 750 ml into a pint glass

A - a light golden color thats almost grayed in a way (if you can imagine that). ridiculous amounts of carbonation visible with about five fingers of fluffy white head from a very slow pour. good retention and very good lacing. mixed bag here everything was either above average appearance wise or below average appearance wise.

S - cherries, sour apple, oak, peach, yeast, candy sugar and a bit of saltiness in there as well.

T - funk, earthiness, cherry, oak, mild grass hop bite. its good its just too subdued.

M - lots of carbonation (doesn't feel as carbonated as the appearance would indicate). light bodied to the point of feeling watery. some tartness felt on the side of the mouth. chalky feeling towards the end and after.

O - its an alright wild ale. bit more of an in your face taste and cooling down the carbonation a tad and this would be a superb beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 00:41:13 | More by celticfutblclub

Durtdiggler

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark cloudy golden more with frothy head and good retention.

Interesting aroma, very pungent and potent very estery with lemon zest.

Taste leaves me a bit dissapointed compared to the aroma. Kind of creamy overlaid with peppery notes but what feels like too much of a bitterness. Not finding any complexity in the flavor.

Mouth feel has good carbonation and creamy balance. Very soft.

The beer is different and perhaps I don't have a true appreciation for bret.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 20:54:58 | More by Durtdiggler

Kbogac

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark cloudy yellow with a nice thick inch of foam that dissipates to a ring with some lacing. Scent is fruity. Banannas, citrus and Belgium. Fruit forward taste. Banannas and citrus with nice mild sour. Medium mouthfeel with good carbonation.

Overall this is a great beer. Easy drinking and approachable sour. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 19:31:22 | More by Kbogac

zep9865

Indiana

3.88/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed courtesy of aasher. Poured into New Belgium snifter with 4 fingers of soapy white foam head. Color is a faded orange with a hint of copper.

I smell some lemon on the nose and lots of orange. The smell is rather tame for a wild.

The lemon that i could smell on the nose fades quickly into belgian yeast and some hops. Almost tastes a little bit more like a kolsch or wheat. I taste some orange as well.

I like the mouthfeel of this beer. Beer moves from slightly tart to sweet to bitter.

Not overly impressed with this beer but it does have session quality. There aren't any flavors or taste notes that really stand out

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 03:53:42 | More by zep9865

aasher

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is the bottling from February of 2010 and courtesy of thagr81us in a massive trade in September, thanks Calton!

This pours a very cloudy, hazy, dull orangish yellow with a billowing two finger, whispy head. It is softly sour on the nose. You get some funk, brett, lemon notes, tangerine, and spicy Belgian yeasts. It has a really, really nice and approachable nose. The flavors too could be described as soft. You get a lighter bodied Belgian spice all around with a slightly dry finish. The brett is there but it's not overbearing. It's a lot lighter in body than I imagined. It somewhat hurts the flavor profile since it abbreviates the flavor with a quick finish. It just takes away from the beer as a whole really. That is why overall I'd say it's just ok. If you were just getting into wilds I'd say it's a nice place to start but this won't thrill anyone who really enjoys the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 03:31:18 | More by aasher

mactrail

California

4.22/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The ideal brettanomyces beer for my taste. Still enough malt after the bacteria got started on it. Nice meaty taste of umame. Sharp but not sour. Long, fragrant nose of grain. Cloudy amber. Woody and brambly flavors. Like a wild Saison.

Definitely well made beer. A great sourish fruitiness with a dry malt flavor and an edge of bitterness. I would recommend this as a good start in exploring beers beyond the usual styles.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2011 04:39:10 | More by mactrail

Mora2000

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drank back in June to celebrate the Mavericks winning the NBA title. The bottle is labeled February 2010.

The beer pours a golden color with a large white head. The aroma is very nice. I get a lot of leathery brett notes, as well as some light funk and Belgian yeast. There is also a nice fruit component of lemons and apricots.

The flavor is very dry. I get a lot of brett and leather, with some orange mixed in. The Belgian yeast comes through nicely, as do some pepper and coriander notes. There is some light funk and some light tartness.

Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 03:18:43 | More by Mora2000

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

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

Bottled March 2011.

Beer is a bright golden colour, a little bit cloudy. Very large shining white head. Retention is very good. Good lacing.

Smell is funky and potent. Yeast, spice, light fruits such as lemon and peach. Floral. Very nice smell.

The sour funk is not as potent in the taste as expected from the nose. More balanced. The sour is cut a bit from a very mild bitterness that must be the result of the dry hopping, which I didn't get much of in the nose. All of the scents from the nose are present in the taste, and the Brett is clearly present. Nice but not the gem that the nose was.

Mouthfeel is the weak part of the beer. Feels strangely heavy, and it dries out the mouth like crazy. Surprisingly low carbonation considering how eager the cork was to pop out and the massive head.

Overall a good beer. Taste was a bit of a letdown after the nose, but still good.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 19:28:59 | More by jrenihan

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

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

750mL bomber poured into a flute; March 2011 bottling

An extremely soft golden straw color with streams of tiny bubbles pushing north to a huge, meringue-like cap. Excellent retention and loads of sticky lace.

The aroma is of soft peaches, slightly tart lemons, apricots and even some pineapple and granny smith apples. At first, I thought the funk was a little light, but as this guy warmed, some band-aid aromas came out.

I still can't get over the thickness of this head. A giant ring of foam is stuck across the top of my glass. It looks awesome.

Tart lemons and granny smith apples come to forefront, with sweet pineapple and peach quickly in tow. Some acidic notes through the middle before a rush of saddle leather funk and dryness. The funk just sweeps in and leaves your mouth dry. No pucker, lightly tart.

A light medium body with high carbonation, but it works well. Smooth and creamy with a touch of effervescence.

This is a nice wild ale, but it definitely didn't blow me away. I guess it's balance is a detriment? Definitely well crafted and enjoyable. A very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 03:41:30 | More by ColForbinBC

Hands22

Florida

4.22/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Beachwood BBQ (Seal Beach).

A- pours a murky dark straw color with a long-lasting, thick white head. Great lacing. 

S- spicy and citrusy. A little funky Brett character adds to the complexity. 

T- spicy with some Brett again. The sourness compliments but doesn't overwhelm. Get a little bit of vinous flavors, too. Finishes dry. 

M- medium-low body. High carbonation. 

O- a great Belgian-style ale. The sourness is mellow and adds complexity without detracting from drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2011 04:59:53 | More by Hands22

gpogo

California

4.3/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Hazy golden orange body with a small white head and constant streams of bubbles.

A- Amazing aroma, very fruity and a wonderful sour funk to it all.

T- Sweet light fruit malt. A light sour hit follows and some spicy alcohol flavor. Finishes leaving a toasty fruity aftertaste.

M- Medium-light body. Moderate carbonation. Very smooth.

D- Pretty great wild beer. I'd think even non sour beer fans would enjoy this. The smell was amazing, that said the flavor is a bit light. Worth checking out at least once though.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 02:44:19 | More by gpogo

mlazzaro

Massachusetts

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

cork and cage 750 ml 2011 bottle. exciting carbonation. hazy yellow-orange in color. fluffy white head. decent head retention.

smells of citrus, pepper and brettanomyces. hops are blending really well with the brett character. aromatics did mellow out pretty quickly, but it smelled delicious.

the first flavor is soft wheat/malt flavor, followed by a moderate bitterness and an intense brett finish. brett has a grassy-barn funk to it. I enjoy it much more as I sip on. tastes substantially better warm.

mouthfeel is a bit full for a brett beer, unusual. bitterness is notable. acidic beer, grapefruit juice in comparison.

haven't really had anything else like it. cheers

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 20:57:24 | More by mlazzaro

DeanMoriarty

California

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

Picked up a 750 ML bottle for $22.99 from Olive Tree Market here in OB and poured it into a Geuze Boon Lembeek glass.

A: After a big pop from the cork, this one pours a hazy straw-like hue, slightly effervescent, with a fluffy white head that sticks around leaving good lacing in its tracks.

S: Immediate sour funk - wood and leather gives way to citrus and crackers, some spice, with a slight hint of hop and wheat at the very end.

T: Hit with instant yeast funk that is balanced extremely well with bready grains, a light amount of hoppiness, and sweet spice. Almost farmhouse style but with more funk and lingering hops - super tasty!

M: Light bodied, almost champagne-like carbonation, crisp and dry finish, with some lingering bitterness from the hop.

Overall a great American Wild Ale, and the dry hopping is a real nice touch that makes this one better than average. Not sure about the price though - nearly $25. a bottle seems a bit steep. We're starting to go beyond the cost of a bottle of Cantillon - let's be real here!

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 04:00:20 | More by DeanMoriarty

NuclearRich

Connecticut

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

March2011 Allagash Confluence. 7.4% dry hopped brett belgian. Pours a golden haze with an almost champagne like fizz, building into a tall, fluffy, fortuitous head, the like of which I may have never seen such in the way of the cumulus nimbus. A dense lace coats the glass throughout the session. A floral, slightly citrusy boquet trumpets the aroma with hints of spicy phenols. At this point, the beverage is an impecable belgian offering. Wading through the foam, dryness and crispness arrive and last through the sip, with a floral and lightly pungent mid-body that is briefly noted and requires another sip. And many more. The dryness combined with the bite of carbonation leave a disappointing finish, but with the desire to taste again so as to experience the medley again. Overall, the hopped flavor melds seamlessly with an almost invisible brett tart. While a tad too dry, this is an otherwise perfect beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 18:30:35 | More by NuclearRich