Allagash Gargamel

Formerly brewed at Allagash Brewing Company
Style: Sour Ale/Wild Ale
Portland, Maine USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler

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Big thanks to Dan for sharing this! Poured a hazy burnt Siena with a near white head that dissipated to the edges. Aroma was full of sour fruits with a bit of a grain and bread backing. Flavor was sour throughout growing to be somewhat acidic raspberry with a grain backing. Not as much brett as I would have liked.

Bottle. Careful first pour yields a clear pale brown/strawberry colored body with a small off-white head. Interesting lacto and dried strawberry nose - some acetic red apple skins and some semi-sweet peppery brown sugar. Body is surprisingly light, puffy, airy, and soft. Acidity is moderately peppery and spritzy - cola like even. Flavor is soft lactic apple skins and tart strawberries and bing cherries. Overall nicely soft and delicate body with a surprisingly high alcohol content. Quite good, reminds me of authentic Belgian framboise.

[My 1400 rating and also puts me as having the 400th most ratings on rateBeer... w00t!] Wow the description makes this beer sound absolutely amazing!!! Sample #18 at 1st CST, thanks davinci!!! Pours a glowing brown with a sudsy white froth. Strong brett aroma, sweet caramel, some lacto, yogurt, very woody, cheesy. Light raspberry flavor upfront, sweet, buttered popcorn... yea... tons of caramel popcorn, lightly acidic. Thinner body with fizzy carbonation. Definitely not what I was expecting.

Huge Thanks to Gillard for bringing this rare beer to a tasting. A: Pours a hazy orange hue with a tight white head. S: Aromas of grapes, light apple sweetness and oak. T: Nice light apple, citrus, and dry crackers. Very light berry, and a light wood quality. Nice and tart without being to overthetop. M: On the lighter side of medium, sparkling carbonation. D: Had this one during a very large sour tasting. It was good but no where near the head of the class.

Bottle. Very nice aroma with tart raspberries the highlight and toasted oak with strong brett behind. Flavor has moments of all that raspberry goodness and the brett, but is dominated by harsh, splintery-feeling (high acidity? high carbonation?) oak. I’m not saying it’s not tasty, but to me it wasn’t the beer that it seems to be to everybody else so far.

bottle @ WTF OMG! Poured a hazy deep orange. Nose is lactic sourness, some grape and definite funk. Flavor is mild. Lactic acid, mild funk, sour grapes, young fruit. Good, but super hyped.

[Bottle] shared by Dalzale. Pours cloudy gold with a medium beige head. Aroma is tart raspberry, a touch buttery, and sharply lactic. Flavor is acidic and has a lasting raspberry flavor, followed by a somewhat buttery and short finish. Not a whole lot of funk to speak of. Good stuff, thanks Greg!

coppery pour with medium white head. Aroma starts with rasberries and mild acetone, some woody notes, yogurt. Nice tartness up front, warming alcohol, a little bit of solvent quality is a detractor. Finish shows some buttered popcorn, which again is a detractor.

bottle, thanks to beejay for sharing. pours hazy auburn with white head. nose is musty, vanilla, and raspberries. flavors a touch sweet, musty, vanilla and earthy notes a plenty, some buttery popcorn notes in the finish that once you notice it it becomes impossible to overcome. alc is at a nice level.

375mL bottle, courtesy of wickedpete, late into the evening at Shenandoah Throwdown. Thanks so much for saving this for me, Pete! Pours a slightly hazy, orange-amber color; fine-bubbled, creamy white head with attractive lacing. Mild amounts of citrusy tartness, red fruits, and some light doughy notes in the aroma; nothing rough, nothing medicinal, and nicely dry. Medium body; medium-high carbonation; mild tannins, but non-astringent; modest amounts of citrusy tartness, pitty red fruits, and a lively acidity; the tannins add a quiet grittiness to the palate, but this overall is very drinkable and tasty; nicely dry core; some grape notes apparent as well. Medium finish: grapes, lightly tannic red fruits, and lightly tart citrus.