Allagash BAT - Allagash Brewing Company

MasterSki

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

On-tap at Bar on Buena. Served in a tulip.

A - Looks nearly identical to BAM.

S - Like BAM, the base Belgian amber is quite present, but there's an odd juxtaposition of oak and and spicy tequila. The barrel-aging is definitely more present here, with that distinctive smoke, spirit, and oak character. The base beer offers contrasting sweet fruits, bread, and Belgian yeast.

T - The taste is a bit more heavy on the base beer, but the tequila brightens things by cutting some of the malt sweetness and yeast character. The combination of fruits, sugary malt, and tangy tequila actually gives this an apple cider-esque quality to it.

M - Medium body, smooth texture, lower carbonation, and an oaky finish. Again, some alcohol warmth, but nothing excessive for 9%.

D - I think Allagash found the right balance of spirit and beer here. In BAM, the mead/Jim Beam barrels barely show up at all, and in other tequila beers I've had the spirit overwhelms. In this case the tequila provides balance and depth to a sweet and somewhat unexciting base Belgian. I'd order this one again if I saw it somewhere.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2013 20:13:46 | More by MasterSki

tikk

New York

4.35/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at the ginger man in nyc.

Pours a translucent red with a hint of head.

Smell is fruity, with apple and some hints of grape, pear and Madeira.

Taste is much like the smell, fruity apples, pears, and grape. There is a strong madeira taste that turns to tequila and just lingers.

Mouthfeel is smooth and buttery with little to no carbonation.

Overall I think this is a great beer. I am happy to have tried it.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2013 21:40:52 | More by tikk

mdfb79

New York

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

From 05/14/13 notes. Had this on tap at Ginger Man in NYC. 12 oz. pour in a tulip.

a - Pours a murky, bright amber-red color with one inch of off white head and light to moderate carbonation evident. Looks pretty nice.

s - Smells of sticky sweet fruits, strawberries, tequila, oak, fruity malts, smokey malts, toasted malts, alcohol, rum, and tannins. Tons of sticky sweet dark fruits though not overly sweet. Nice nose.

t - Tastes of strawberries, raspberriers, sticky sweet dark fruits, oak, vanilla, tequila, fruity malts, light smoke, light must, and toasted malts. taste has more berries than the nose and is sweeter as well. Pretty nice.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Not muchalcohol heat and pretty smooth; very nice mouthfeel.

o - Overall an interesting beer that overall is pretty nice and worked for me. A lot of berries and sweet dark fruits to this once, with very very light tequila throughout it. Easy to drink, though not sure I'd want more than a glass of it at a time. Probably the best tequila BA'd beer I've had as that is normally a barrel I don't like, would definitely try it again.

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2013 15:15:02 | More by mdfb79

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brew was served from on tap at The Blind Tiger in New York, NY. It arrived in a generic tulip glass glowing a honey brown coloring, with reddish hues when held to light. No real head was noted, with the faintest rings of bubbles around the glass as the liquid disappeared. There was moderate haze, no sediment, and lighter carbonation. The aroma gave chemical bitterness, and the sour lactics of a gueuze. The spiciness of tequila, and a surprising oaky strength are noticed, along with pale and caramel malts, sweat and salty figs, and additional black cherry sourness. Our first impression was that the beer was sweeter than expected, but with nice wood and bitterness to match its sugariness. The flavoring opened with apple and fructose sugars mixing with caramel grain, boozy depth, and oak. The middle showed fermented apple sweetness to the peak, adding more agedness and musk. The finish was of intense fusel booze, grape and lime sugars, herbal bitterness, and the dryness of lemony breakfast tea. The aftertaste breathed of red grape sweetness, light oak, brown sugar, and a sour fruitiness, much like the nose. The body was medium, and the carbonation was stronger. There was an initial hearty coating, with a bubbly coat. There was a final sucking dryness of booze and wood, gliding astringency down the palate. Slurp, sip, cream, and froth were decent. The abv was appropriate, and the beer drank easily.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the sourness and biting tequila woodiness that began in the nose and finished in the mouth. At times things even approached the sourness and wild qualities of the traditional lambic, while maintaining the strength of a booze, Belgian backing. This beer was very creamy and warming, while delivering all the flavoring we expected. This is definitely the best tequila infused beer we’ve had, with the strength of flavoring and base to back it up.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2012 14:48:04 | More by TheBrewo