Allagash Curieux

Had this several times on recent visits to Liars Club. Awesome flavor and one of my favorite styles. Drink more Allagash!

2004 Bottle shared by Indra. Pours an opaque orange with a thin skin of creamy white head. The nose is a big woody bourbon barrel with a sweet, slightly sour malt backing; this one is completely different from any other barrel-aged beer that I’ve tried. Medium-bodied and oily-slick with a woody and lightly tart finish. Sweet, fruity malt under a solid, woody bourbon barrel. This one is quite nice. I wouldn’t have thought to barrel-age a tripel, but it works. Thanks for sharing this one with us, Eric.

En fût, cask. Verre de 13 oz. dégustée chez Great Lost Bear (Portland, ME). Arôme: Odeur d’épices avec une pointe d’alcool. Apparence: La couleur est ambrée légèrement voilée. Présence d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Léger goût de raisins avec une pointe d’épices. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture huileuse. Faible effervescence en bouche. Légère présence d’alcool en arrière goût. (Rating #1701)

On tap at Green Dragon in Portland, OR--Poured a hazy golden-slightly orange body with a small wispy off-white head. Complex oaken, crisp, nutty, grassy, boozy bourbon nose. Biting yeastiness with a delicious finish. Yum!!!

750 ml bottle courtesy of Indra. December 2004 Vintage. Pour is slightly hazed golden capped with a smallish off white head. Visible carbonation. Aroma of oak, some of the bourbon and some interesting spiciness. Taste is sweet, yeasty and grassy. A lot of oak and bourbon in the finish. Earthiness in the aftertaste. Interesting, but dominated by the oak and barrel. Thanks for sharing this one Eric!

On tap at Moon River Brewing on 5/17/08. Pours a cloudy dark golden color with a one-finger white head. Aroma is strong spice, whiskey, and a slight honey sweetness. Flavor is nutty smoothness and bourbon with a creamy mouthfeel and dry finish. Alcohol seems to be present throughout, but definitely comes through on the finish. Overall, a very different and enjoyable tripel style ale.

750 ml bottle, Dec. 2004 vintage, stored in my cellar since summer of ’05. Nose contains a good bit of oak, also plenty of honeyish sweetness, the bourbon present here as well along with some toasted malt notes and dried flowers. Clear light-medium golden color with an amber cast, head is almost fully subsiding. Flavor profile is a nice blend of fruity sweetness and honeyed oak, some melon and white grape, finishing with stronger notes of bourbon and oak tannins, bitterness is fairly minimized overall by this point in time. Some faint, lingering peppery alcoholic fire. Mouthfeel is low in effervescence and lightly syrupy, body is of course quite full. Satisfying and flavorful, certainly no worse for the wear after its slumber.

Had on tap at Newport Pizza and Ale house. Pours a hazy golden color with a white, creamy, lacing head. The aroma is bright and fruity with apple, citruses (lemon), honey, oak, various spices and yeast is evident. Great chewy body with lively carbonation. Has lots of layers of flavors. The fruits range from pears, green apple, lemon. There’s a nice sweet Belgian malt back, which is graham cracker-like, with tons of peppery spiciness to balance. The alcohol is very well hidden in the flavor, yet it still has a nice warming character. There is the bourbon-oak present, yet it’s subtle and comes through more as it warms. The finish is nice and has a flowery dryness with prolonged spiciness that helps balance the sweet fruitiness and rich body. A very nice Tripel.