Allagash Odyssey

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

Bottle. Sweet, oaky aroma. Oakiness blends nicely w/ the flavor of this brew. Tobacco, spice, dark fruit, and alcohol burn all prevalent. Reminds me of Iron Hill Oak Aged Quad. Very good pre-Thanksgiving brew.

Pours a two-finger cream head that fades slowly to a ring leaving some lace. Totally black color. Medium carbonation and medium-heavy bodied. Raisin/malty nose. Flavor is sweet, raisin, hints of oak. The high ABV is hidden. Bottled Jan 2008. Over the top but worth trying at $17.00 for a 750ml bottle from a Tully’s Beer & Wine Wells, ME.

Pour dark brown with a fizzy tan head. The aroma is oaky, a bit of spiced rum, dried fruits, and a bit a background salty soy sauce. Ahhh but the flavor is huge. Very oaky with cooked sugars, raisins, tobacco, and a nice alcohol warmth. Highly carbonated. Crisp dry finish. What a really outstanding beer.

Pours a hazy dark brown with a light brown head. Sweet and quite "heavy" Lots of oak and whiskey. Some warming alcohol. Strong bourbon finish. Very nice. Best Allagash to date.

(750 ml (bottled 10/06) from <A HREF=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/maine/portland/ target=blank>Downeast Beverage Co., cellared for 10 mos. after purchase) Sweet, chocolatey and lightly boozy...Pours dark brown with a half finger of tan head that recedes to a thin but lasting layer. Aroma of brown sugar and red wine. Mouthfeel medium-full, smooth, fairly soft with a lightly dryish finish. Very light sheets and rings of lacing that melt away quickly. Flavor is initially chocolate with a sort of lightly boozy red wine presence - may not sound elegant but it is. Then as it warms there is emergence of sweet oak and sweet bourbon maltiness. All flavor elements come together in a nice tight symphony in the end. Nice warming alcohol presence ie., slightly hot but perhaps the cellaring toned it down. I was glad at how good this was as I really didn’t know what to expect.

Feb. 2007 - Wowsers, this was tasty. Beer poured dark as night brown, with nice whitish head and lacing. Aroma was dark fruits and oak. This was an odd belgian...dark fruits, spices and chocolate (?) to go along with a strong bourbon/wine-like presence to go with the oakiness. Rich, sweet, thick, full, it’s got it all. Delicious!

Bottle from Weaver Street Market in Carrboro, NC. A new (for me) allagash is always exciting. Nose is oaky, dark fruit, light smoke, and a rich malt. Flavor is similar. A little bit of spices added to a rich malt backbone, a bit of alcohol warmth. Incredibly smooth and and balanced body. Palate is almost perfect. Will go out and buy several more of these. Even at $14, it is definitely worth it. The best belgian strong I have ever had, though I cant wait to try and rate the Interlude again. Rob Tod, you are amazing. Rerate: Had another bottle of this recently. Still very good, but I think I was a little drunk when I rated this initially (4.6) and I can’t really compare this beer to the other beers I have in my top 10. I love Allagash still, and maybe some years down the road, this beer will make it there again.

Dark amber color with a thin white head. Fantastic aroma - oak, musk, smoke, spice, yeast - a robust mix. Carbonation plays well under a thick palate. Oak and spice up front in taste, with a dry finish. Alcohol warms a bit. One of my favorites of the premium Allagash brews.