Alpine Beer Company Chez Monieux

Brewed by Alpine Beer Company (CA)
Style: Sour Ale/Wild Ale
Alpine, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

As I pour this brew I smell a funky, ripe wash-rind cheese note along with a musty moldy note. The pour barely forms a one finger thick, pale, off-white colored head that quickly disappears to a thin layer of not quite covering froth. The beer is a deep honey color that shows a hazy, red stained, light amber color when held up to the light. A deeper draught of the aroma yields a sour fruitiness that reminds me of a mix of cranberry and sweet cherry juice (think a light wiff of the cherry syrup topping for a sunday). Buttery popcorn aromas are fairly pronounced, though I can’t quite tell if this is oak influence or diacetyl (pediococcus perhaps). The buttery aromatics drown out a lot of the other notes in the nose, but there does seem to be some spicy oak character here and the tart cherry notes are usually noticeable.

Tart tasting up front, but it quickly picks up a very slight, soft sweetness. Cherry pie flavors quite distinctly show off the signature of the Montmorency cherry character, but are not an over the top influence on the flavor. The combination of sour flavors and cherry notes are perhaps the biggest flavor contributors, but there is some other things going on here as well. The cherry sort of tastes like watered down, tart cherry juice. The finish has a light oak-derived spiciness to it, while the buttery note from the aroma is almost non-existent in the flavor (leading me to believe that it was the oak that contributed this in the first place, if it was diacetyl it would have been all over the flavor). Fairly light bodied, the beer does have a slight viscousness to it, though it remains a fairly refreshing, definitely easily quaffed experience.

As my palate gets used to it, some of the buttery-oak character from the aroma creeps into the flavor (really it becomes noticeable as it seeps into the nasal passages while taking a sip), it remains fairly light and is found more up front than anything. The cherry notes are fairly simplistic here; tart, fleshy, cherry pie notes show up somewhat softly, but it is missing that deeply staining, cherry skin flavor, that tannic cherry bite, the light almond-like pit character and the deeply complex, vibrant, fleshy cherry character that I like to see in the best examples of the style.

A very interesting beer, I definitely like it, but it falls far short of the best beers that it was inspired by (assuming that Kriek Lambics were the inspiration for this brew). It doesn’t have the intense cherry flavors, nor the bracing acidity and funkiness of the examples that I like best. It really is like a Lambic for those who are interested, but not quite up to the harder versions of the style. Don’t mistake me though, it clearly separates itself from the fake fruit Lambics being produced. In the end this is a tasty tipple that I am happy to have tried, but I wish it was not so one-dimensionally dominated in the nose had a bit more complexity and depth to the flavor.

Purchased: South Bay Drugs Pharmacy, Imperial Beach CA

preCBC tour on tap @the brewery-pours hazy red with a pink head. Aroma is medium malt, cherry, earthy. Taste is cherry, wood, medium malt. No real sour, but enjoyable.

Shared a bottle with friends. Poured a light ruby color, small white head. Aroma was sour cherry funk notes, with... cheese, toe-jam. Stink. Eh, did not enjoy the aroma at all, obviously this is not supposed to be this way. Flavor was, quite a bit better - slightly tart, but the aroma is extremely hard to get past. Next time?

On tap at Alpine in a smallish 8oz or so pour. The color is ruby read with a small white head. Aromas is sour cherries. I can’t smell even a hint of wild yeast. The aroma is pretty disappointing. The taste is pretty sour and it tastes like they spiked the keg with lactic acid. It doesn’t really have a typical wild ale smell or taste. To me it’s almost an artificial sour. Lots of sour cherries and maybe some red wine. It wasn’t very good and I had really high hopes since this is the first sour I’ve ever had from Alpine. My first disappointment out of this fantastic brewery.

Sampled at anesbls tasting. Dark brown red with a pink head. A sour cherry flavor. Stomach acid flavor. Odd but interesting.

at Alpine Brewing. good aroma, tart, fruity, cherry, grape, berry, minor yeasty funk, brownish red color, ok head and lace. Tart flavor. Lite body, smooth mouthfeel, bitter tart finish. Good, flavor was best part, had a sweet streak with tartness that I liked.

Bottle poured after moving. (Moving sucks butt) Pours a deep wine red with next to no head. Maybe a few bubbles here and there. Aroma is a little off with some funky cheese and fruit notes that linger then disappear with some time and warmth. Taste is at first a little bitter (odd) with then some more funk, bitter cherry skin about 1/3 of the way through the taste and a very hot/wine like finish. Overall, it wasn’t horrible and the palate was actually really nice with the body being a little thicker which is a definite plus in sours for me. I haven’t had a "great" Alpine sour but glad they are doing these bottles.

Bottle. Poured a muddy dark red, with small head. Aroma of cheese, cherry and acidic sourness. Not the best aroma, at least the flavor was better (much less cheese). Flavor of sour cherries, bread, acidic, earthy, and sweetness. meh, I expect better from alpine.

Bottle: pour is murky ruby with a frothy and modest pinkish head in this glass. Modest retention, and modest lacing as well. The nose is cheese, cherry skins, and some earth and funk really. The Flavor profile is more cheese, horse blanket, tart cherry skins and juice, some lemon peel, bread... It begins on the funky side and mellows near the finish. This is a nice one, but could use a little age on it

Bottle courtesy of saru96. Served in a SAVOR wine glass. Pours a reddish purple with a thin light pink head that fades down into a collar. The nose carries some cherry juice and light earthiness to the background. Somewhat musty. The flavor has a bit of an odd creaminess to it along with mild must and earth. Light to medium body and slightly chewy. Not really a bid fan, whether as a wild or just as a fruit beer.

murky red-purple, no head. Nose is bile, vomit, light cherry yogurt, oppressive and sick. Flavor is sweeter, murky cherry skin and pith, not as much offense. Thin, sticky, but no acetic.