Allagash Interlude

Brewed by Allagash Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Portland, Maine USA

2005 bottle. When I read the little tag that comes on this bottle and saw "Brett" I got nervous, but I really enjoyed this beer. Murky amber color out of the caged cork 750 ml bottle. Thin, off white head. The nose had some candied orange rind and the moldy earth tones that I get from Brett. But it was balanced enough to not send me running to the sink. The flavor was an almost perfect balance of sweet and tart. Orange juice, green apples, sour patch kids, red wine, and an not offensive funk, which is realy surprising since I hate the funk. My dad even liked it, and he hates everything I give him to taste. This is a beer with funk that I could happily drink again.

’06 Bottle: Courtesy of mgumby10...thanks Mike. Clear copper color with a minimal white head. Slightly boozy, notes of oak, caramel malt, hay and a slightly sour apple tone. Very smooth mouth feel, medium bodied...flavors consist of bready malts, oak and finishes with a mildly sour funk note. Very good stuff.

750ml caged&corked bottle. Pours a deep russet with brilliant orange and auburn highlights and a medium-sized, short-lived, off-white head. The aroma is strong - I caught a smell immediately after opening, before pouring and without even bringing my nose close to the bottle lip. The first thing that jumps out is the sour - not overwhelming or vinegar-like, but pleasant like tart raspberries. There is also a great cracker/biscuit malt character in the aroma that blends harmoniously with the sour berry aroma. There are other smells in there too - dust/must, strawberries, dessert wine, and toffee. The flavor starts with a nice duo of berries and cereal grains. It gains in earthiness and fruity funk towards mid-palate with a definite red wine note slowly making itself known. The berries strengthen on the middle of the tongue, and there is some new funk at that point, too: earthy and musty like old leather (a hallmark of Brett). The finish is dry and spicy with some woody flavors and notes of dark currant jelly. The mouthfeel is full and fluid, creamy and slippery. The high carbonation gives the impression of strawberry soda at mid-rear of the tongue. Overall - holy crap is this good!!! I wouldn’t have believed I could taste so fine a fluid three times in two days (I’ve also been treated to Allagash Hugh Mallone and Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen Weisse last night and today). This is one of the most complex and mesmerizing beers ever. And somehow, despite its complexity, it remains drinkable and delicious. Fascinating...

I would describe this beer as gueze light. aroma is full of brett and sourness, with fruit and oak in the backround. poured a golden color with good clarirty with amble head and carbonation. flavor is really nice, cross between a stong golden and gueze. sourness and brett dominate intially, but give way to lots of earliness and a spicy backround. full nicely carbonated and digestiable in the mouth. Another excellent beer by Allagash.

Bière #24 au Mondial 08 (30/5/08), bouteille. Orange cuivée un peu brumeuse, petit collet. Arome d’agrume et de fruits sûrette, des notes de caramel anglaise. Goût sucré de caramel au début, mais devient tres vite bien sûrette par des notes de fruit, qui reste assez longtemps, avec une touche d’épice. Tout comme l’Odyssey, elle n’était originalement sur la liste du Mondial, je suis heureux qu’ils ont rajouté!

2007 Bottle: There was lots of carbonation in this bottle. Very crisp and refreshing with a wonderful herbal funkiness running throughout. It was well-balanced with plenty of flavor running through the midpalate and long finish. Quite a nice way to end the night.

750 ml bottle. December 2007 vintage. Pours a dark orange/copper color with a small off-white head that diminished relatively quickly. Aroma was mostly doughy/yeasty and oak notes with some malt coming through as well. Taste started out with the tangy doughy/yeasty flavor, moved on to a nice almost wine-like oak flavor and finished with the yeaty banana flavor. A very nice and subtle progression. Alcohol was hardly detectable. For the style and flavor relatively light body with a decent dose of pinpoint carbonation. A really great beer. Nice delicate flavors. The best of the Barrel Aged Series from Allagash that I have had. Would like to get my hands on another bottle.

Had this on draft-pretty amazing stuff.Poured an amber color with a small,quickly dissappearing head.Aromas were of all kinds of flavors including apples,oak,malt and yeast.The flavor was slighly sour with cherries,yeast and candy sugar.Could not drink too many,but pretty great none the less.