Allagash Confluence Ale - Allagash Brewing Company

HopHead84

California

4.28/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the PP Belgian Beer Fest. Bright blond with a nice one inch, frothy head. Retention is excellent and there's some lacing.

The aroma has a lot of Brett character, horse blanket and musty barn, but there's also a really interesting fruity smell. It's very citrusy and almost tropical. Lemon, floral hops, spices, a hint of alcohol and some tartness. The flavor is slightly sweet. Brett is present again, imparting musty barnyard characteristics. The flavor is very fruity with some tartness. The finish is slightly sweet and dry with some spices and tart lemon.

Confluence is light bodied and tart with great carbonation. This is very drinkable, and the aroma is really great.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2009 06:29:50 | More by HopHead84

Floydster

California

3.43/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

25 cl sample at the Belgian Beer Party on 3/28/09, glad to see this made it down to the festival from New York, reviewed from notes, served in a Chimay goblet

Here is a description from the brewmaster: "Allagash Confluence Ale is created with a mixed fermentation; utilizing our house primary Belgian style yeast in combination with our proprietary Brettanomyces strain. The two yeast strains work in tandem creating a marriage between spice and fruit flavors that ultimately leave a lingering silky mouth feel. Confluence is brewed with a blend of both imported pilsner and domestic pale malts as well as a portion of caramel malt, resulting in a complex malty profile. Tettnang and East Kent Golding hops are added in the brew process to balance the intricate malty profile while adding a sweet and spicy citrus aroma. After fermentation, Confluence undergoes a lengthy aging process in stainless steel tanks to enhance the flavors. Prior to bottling, it is dry hopped with a Glacier hops, providing a pleasant balance of aromas. Confluence is then bottle conditioned and aged in our cellar prior to release."

A-Golden yellow color, huge 1 3/4 inch white bubbly head that did not last long, not much lacing or legs either
S-Aroma was by far the best part and consisted of Brettanomyces, gym socks, aged cheese, citric acid, saltines, Belgian sugar and funkiness
T-Starts off really dry with not much flavor, middle is slightly toasty, some citric acid in the finish with some light sourness, lingering oak flavors in the aftertaste, more funk comes out later on but it is definitely lacking, needs some strong fruit flavors to make it work
M-Super dry, also slightly sour and acidic mouthfeel, medium bodied, lots of carbonation, taste does not linger at all, just dry and then gone
D-Could drink a few of these but that is mostly because it is light overall, no real alcohol showing in, flavors are all weak so you do not have to worry about them be overpowering, hopefully this stuff develops later on

Certainly not one of Allagash's best efforts, good stab at a wild ale and not something they have a lot of experience with yet, interested in trying the bottled release later on, but not in a hurry to drink again, still worth trying

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2009 05:15:11 | More by Floydster

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.8/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed on 3/30/09. On tap at Capone's. Pours a clear gold with a small white head. Aroma of sweettart candies. Flavor of bubble gum, sweet tart candies, and wheat malt. Very nice and drinkable. A nice sour.
Aroma: 7/10
Appearance: 4/5
Flavor: 8/10
Palate: 4/5
Overall: 15/20
(3.8/5)

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2009 03:08:15 | More by LilBeerDoctor

seaoflament

California

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

First beer I had at the Pizza Port Belgian Beer Party on March 28th.

Poured a slightly hazy apricot color with a thin head.

Fruity and tropical on the nose with notes of apricot, pineapple, funky brett, a bit spicy, crabapples, and grapes. A bit of pale malt sweetness as it warmed up.

Not what I was expecting, harsh and bitter plastic flavors, phenolic and yeasty with the first sip. The second sip was a little more enjoyable with flowers, light spices, and hints of fruit. Better along the way but not great. Semi-dry finish with medium carbonation.

Tasted like a spicy, yeasty, funky, single Belgian pale.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2009 04:01:48 | More by seaoflament

weeare138

Pennsylvania

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

On tap at Capone's...
Appears a light hazy gold with a small white cap that slowly fizzles out into a heavy collar. Scattered bits of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of funky floral characterisitics, barnyard funk, interesting lemony hops, earth-like minerals.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with more lemony zest coming through with a floral, and honey flavors, with a mild hoppiness coming through.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2009 01:32:39 | More by weeare138

hopdog

Pennsylvania

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

On tap at Capones.

Poured a meidum and hazy golden/orange color with a small sized head. Aromas of brett (that came out more and more as I drank this one), fruity, earthy, citrus, and some yeast. Tastes of citrus, earthy, spices, and some brett. Light to medium tart finish.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2009 12:20:16 | More by hopdog

imagineiii

Vermont

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

Had this on cask at American Flatbread in Burlington.

Beautiful cask pour with a full inch of head in the tulip in which it was served. light golden in color. retention is great.

smells more like a triple than anything. melon, apple and phenols. sweet.

Tart fruits are obvious. green apples and white grapes. bitterness is there but way at the back of the palate.

smooth but i think that has alot to do with the undercarbonation of the cask serving. has a mouthfeel like a white wine.

with the tartness of the fruits in the beer, the drinkabity is much like a white wine; slightly syrupy.

Serving type: cask

03-07-2009 05:41:40 | More by imagineiii

mmurphy

Massachusetts

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

Had this beer at the Great Lost Bear in Portland Maine. It was on a hand pull tap. Poured a nice head and light in color. Had a pilsner flavor with a bit of spice and fruit. Good alcohol taste to it as well. Very good drinkability and went well with the cheese steak sandwich I was enjoying.
Really surpised (and happy) that it did not have a strong aftertaste (as many of the allagash beers do). Instead, it was refreshing and went down easily. Definitely a beer that you could enjoy the entire night without wanting something else.
I really liked the overall flavor and appearance of the beer and suggest that if you are somewhere it is on tap, order it, you will not be dissapointed!

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2009 20:07:28 | More by mmurphy