Allagash Interlude

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

Vintage: 2007 January

7/11/2007: Allagash Interlude pours a murky, brown-orange (more like bronze) color with a fleeting off-white head. The aroma contains an interesting blend of brown sugar, vinegar, and bubblegum. Somehow that sweet/sour combination makes for a mouth-watering combination. This beer is malty with flavors of lemon and sour cherry, some yeast, and a noticeable amount of alcohol throughout. It also has a medium body and is dry on the palate. This is a very good beer even when it’s young. However, I need to grab a bottle and let it age a couple years; I bet it is awesome then.

750 mL bottle (9.5% Alc. By Vol.) shared by Peanut at the Dilly Deli. Rating #240 for this beer...

Bottle, 750 mL dated:January 2007. Dark copper color with nice head and lacing. The oak is present from the start and is influenced by heavy cherry/vanilla notes. Souring fruits, citrus and cherrywood waltz on the tounge as sweet vanilla and mellowed alcohol notes develop interesting citrus, raisin, fig and plum flavors. This brew is certainly complex and I am looking forward to seeing it age.

2006 vintage, I can’t remember who I got this particular bottle from. Hazy orange golden with a one finger off-white head, lots of streams of bubbles making their way to the top. First whiff gives way to wonderful brett, followed by some vanilla and oak. Granny smith apples with tart and bitter grapefruit, a moderate amount of caramel and yeast. The brett stays strong in the flavor and continues to the semidry finish. This wasn’t quite as sweet as the aroma led on, but the aroma was not all that sweet to begin with. Oak and vanilla was still apparent, as was a good amount of fruitiness again. There is also some light spices. Overall bitterness was low--mainly lightly sweet and tart. Alcohol very well hidden. Moderate carbonation with a medium body. This was quite a tasty brew, very enjoyable.

Pours a two finger thick cream head that fades slowly leaving a good lace. Cloudy amber color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Sweet/sour fruit nose. Flavor is complex it is almost sour fruit, almost apple, maybe some merlot, clean finish. High ABV is hidden. Wicked pricey - $22.00 for a 750ml corked bottle (2006) from Tully’s Beer and Wine Wells, ME.

Nice tangy palate cleaning flavor, this is a tasty beer that does not seem show it’s 9.5% ABV.

(Bottle) Pours hazy orange to red. Unripe berries and fruits in aroma along with notes of wood. The fruitiness brings apples, pears and oranges as the most notable fruits. Light yeasty and some vanilla tones from the oak. The nose is a bit lemonade-ish. Medium acid and medium sweet flavour with some oak wood and some fruit tones of apples and pears to back it up. Also some grape hints. Light tart with an aftertaste of unripe berries. Also quite dry with a medium body.

Sampled at the 1st annual Stone Sour Festival 2007. Very good flavors of sourness and sweetness. One of my favorites of the day.

Orange with a small but lasting white head. Aroma has hints of lambic, as well as oak and pineapple. Flavour has acid, lambic notes, and a lasting dry finish.
Cask at GBBF 2009: Exactly the same numbers, still a yummy funky beer.