Allagash Odyssey

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

750 ml corked asnd caged bottle poured a clear dark reddish brown with a lasting tan head. Aromas of toffee, spice, oak, stale popcorn and dark fruit. Palate was light bodied and crisp. Flavors of oak, vanilla, toffee, carmel, stale popcorn and dark fruit with a crisp lingering toffee finish.

Big thanks to overlord for this bottle. July 2009 bottling. A: Pours a dark brown that is ever-so-slightly transparent when held to the light. Thin tan head that dissipates with a little lacing in its wake. S: A good amount of dark fruits. Not super pungent, but the only thing that really stands out. A bit of caramel and toffee in the background. T: The dark fruits distinguish themselves a bit more alongside caramel, toffee, and some yeasty spices. Not picking up oak here or in the nose. M: Fairly creamy. Medium body and good carbonation. D: Better as it warms up past cellar temperature, but nothing terribly special at this point. It’s lacking in any real depth, which is surprising given that the bottle is nearly a year old. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 05-25-2010

1 Pint 9.4oz bottle. Bottling: January 2010 - opened: 10/30/2010. Poured a dark, almost murky brown with ruby edges - thick beige head. Aroma: fruit, chocolate, cotton candy, roasted malts, oak background with some faint booze. Taste was like the aroma: full body loaded with flavor and very balanced. Long finish of roasted malt and sweet chocolate. Very carbonated. Overall a fantastic beer.

6oz glass from a flight. Pour is deep amber with a small amount of off-white head. Nose is currants, raspberries, wheat, and light molasses. Taste is right on par with a lovely triscuit that rolls into the finish to make an excellent brew. This is a fantastic brew and doesn’t come off nearly as acidic as many high ABV wheat s I’ve had. Though I haven’t loved Allagash brews in the past, this is definitely on their best!

0.65 l bottle at Monk’s Porterhouse, Stockholm. Dark brown color. Thick aroma of raisins, coffee, prunes and licorice. The flavors of raisis, prunes, coffee, oak and vanilla. Nice dark fruit character but this is too oaky for my liking.

Bottled July 2009, 10.4% ABV. Poured from a 750 mL bottle into a tulip. A: Pours a jet black with ruby red peeking out of the corners and a one finger light beige head. S: A bit of Belgian funk, dark fruits, and heavy oak on the finish. T: Big sweet malt with brown sugar in the beginning with nice vanilla, oak, and toffee to follow. M: Perfect level of carbonation, and lighter bodied than similar high ABV brews, with the wheat base as opposed to a traditional stout base. D: Wow, brilliant, this tastes like an imperial stout with Belgian funk in the nose but not enough to influence the taste all that much (unlike Belgian style imperial stouts like JP Dark Dawn). The wheat base helps this beer’s cause as it makes it lighter and easier to drink.

Dark but not cloudy, with thin head. Faint but sweet/smoky aroma. Chocolate and wood. An odd dustiness. Dry. Not too sure about this one. Elements of stout and Belgian.

Pours near black with an appreciable tan head. Very pleasant aroma with light fruity yeast and clearly present malts. Danky flavor of yeast and dark malts and fruit. Light lacing. Slight coffee aftertaste.