Allagash Musette

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

Bright orange copper color with a thin head of light taupe bubbles. Aromas of "burnt" charcoal and light peat atop a pile of candi sugar. Some clove and white pepper in the spice mix. Flavors of a mix between a dubbel and a scotch ale. Still seeming to miss both. Flavors are a bit rough and perhaps young, but still not a soothing and drinkable as I would prefer. More candi and light fruit in the flavors a mild tweak and this could be really good.

Bottle. 2006 vintage. Rich amber beer with an off-white head. Yeasty, earthy, sweet malt aroma. Oaky, sweet malt, slight caramel flavor with yeast and earthiness. Medium body. LIngering oak, yeast, and sweet caramel malt. Hides alcohol well.

750ml Bottle: Aroma is sweet and spicy. Smells of bourbon, oak, wine, and yeast. Poured brown in color though appears amber against a white background. Medium, rocky, tan head lasted throughout. No lacing. Clear. Sparkling. Flavor is moderately sweet and lightly spicy. Tastes of bourbon, lots of malts, a little alcohol, wood, grape, cherry, and cloves. Medium to full body. Lively carbonation. Malty, slightly bitter finish tingles on the tongue. Lasting wood and malt flavor in finish. Overall, good, but not my style.

Bottle (5/28/07). Brown murky color with a creamy tan head. A nicely spiced (cinnamon and pepper) flavor with a smooth malt and yeasty finish. A nice brew but overpriced in California (~$17).

August 2006 Bottle. Moderate sized head that diminishes to lace very rapidly. The appearance is a very clear, but medium-dark amber. Carbonation doesn’t hit me very strong. The aroma is mostly hops. Don’t taste the high alcohol content too much. The flavor is that of a very classic scottish ale with the malts coming to the forefront very quickly, and then the hops taking over.

750ml bottle. I don’t have a thistle. I figured Allagash wants this to be Belgian-inspired so I’m drinking it from a tumbler. AM pours a dark metallic color with a large creamy-looking white head that leaves heavy lacing. It smells malty and has the candy smell of some Belgian beers. This beer is medium-bodied and a little oily. The flavor is sweet, reminding me of cream soda in a way. There is a little bit of woody flavor and the Belgian yeast really shows through. There is no hint of the bourbon at all and that is fine with me. The finish is mildly sour. The finish is rather clean considering the oily body.

Any first impressions?
-A veil of foam covers the hazy, dull orange.
-Courteous maple sweetness and lightly-smoking oak have to speak louder due to the blaring alcohol.
-Yeast nags the maple and caramel sweetness, an odd union on the palate.
-Carbonation is refreshing, alleviating what could be cloying maltiness.

What if you dig deeper?
-The finish is sugary and boozy.
-The subtle fruitiness of white grapes is appreciated.
-Creamy omelets are curiously imagined by the nostrils, covered in brown sugar; a veritable sugar shack experience.
-Yet another very interesting Allagash experiment which needs to wisen up a bit before the next tasting.

Bottled in May 2006.

Bottle - corked and caged. Label states "Bottling May 2006" and "Cases Bottled 690". Pours a cloudied brown with a small fizzy tanned head. It’s reduced to a foam ring around the edge of the glass within minutes of the pour. The aroma was a bit misleading at first. It smelled sour or tart. Tart fruits, light wood notes, soft cocoa, and light alcohol. Taste is malty and sweet with more slightly soured fruits, dark fruits, cocoa, dusty yeast, flowers, light wood and a touch of alcohol. Body is bubbly but firm with a slight bit of tartness and some dryness around the edges. Finishes with more fruit notes, though not giving out as much tartness, Belgian yeast, flowers, light smoldering wood, sweet malts, light cocoa and light alcohol.