Avery Brabant

Formerly brewed at Avery Brewing Company
Style: Sour Ale/Wild Ale
Boulder, Colorado USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler

12oz bottle. Been saving this for a while... Deep brown, near black, with a bubbly tan head. Looks like a stout, but definitely doesn’t smell like one - the nose brings a combo of lambic-like tartness/barnyard funk with brett notes. There’s a bit of a fruity undertone, too. Flavor starts off with some roasted malt, woody notes, and a gentle sourness. Several other folks have suggested the sour notes resemble sour green grapes... I’m going to have to agree with that assessment. The finish, though, is pretty dry, which brings the acidic tones to the forefront. The brett is subtly present throughout and leaves a funky dry flavor at the back of the palate. Have to say, in regards to the palate, this is one of the more interesting beers I’ve encountered - you’ll find different flavors at all ends of your tongue. A medium carbonation level, and, as others have said, maybe a bit thin on mouthfeel overall, but that might just be the dry finish playing tricks. I’m pretty happy with this beer, as a whole. I wonder what some more time would do to it. Unfortunately, I only got one bottle...

#800. 12oz bottle from Discount Drinks. Pours dark brown with one finger light tan head. Aroma is tart with cherries, red wine, and wood. Flavor is smooth and chocolaty with some wood, dark fruits, and some light tartness and booze. Finishes smooth and creamy with very light tartness for a sour. Mouthfeel is creamy but still has nice carbonation. Very interesting brew. Not overly complex or mind blowing but good for Avery for developing a nice complex brew.

Bottled date Feb 10, 2009. Thanks to Narnad for picking this up for me. Pours a very dark brown, bordering on black, with red tints if you hold it up to the light. Light brown head is medium in size and mostly diminishing down to a thin, whitish ring. Sour Brettanomyces nose initially. Upon further sniffs and as the glass breathes a bit, the Brett wanes and I get more notes of mint leaves, alcohol, moderate roast and mildly sour green grapes. Flavor is mild roast up front but wanes rather quickly into roasted peanuts, lightly sour grapes and mildly charred wood. Finish is woody with some definite (yet mild) alcohol heat and cardboard pulp. Low carbonation level (which is fine), but I found the mouthfeel to be rather thin. Interesting idea, and I’m glad I got to try this.

Pours very dark reddish brown with tan head. Sour, bretty aroma with some vinous notes. Slightly sour with wood, wine and musty flavors. Medium body with moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Good stuff, better than I was expecting.

12oz bottle. Bottled on 02.10.09.
Black pour. Aroma of chocolate and musty, sour ale, Bretty goodness. Flavor had very little sourness. Lots of chocolate and very nice barrel flavors. Lots of Zinfandel notes. Instead of this beer being a sour bomb, it was smooth and creamy. Mellowed out by the soft fruited wood. Finishes with a hint of dill and lots of dark fruit like dried cherries. I love how this beer smelled like a sour, tastes like a tannin-ful, dark, wood aged beer made to perfection with great patience and precision.

Source: 12 oz bottle split at Chuck’s.
Glass: Wine Glass.
Appearance: Dark brown pour with a thin tan head.
Aroma: Aroma was chocolate and typical sour notes.
Flavor: A hint of chocolate and caramel, with a weak sour finish.
Palate: Medium body with solid carbonation.
Overall: Easy drinking, but overall very disappointing. Was expecting something more like the JP sour stout, but this was lacking.

Bottle at the release of Flaming Fury. Pours brown with a thin white to beige head. Smoke, acid, and sour aromas. Toasty and sour with some roast, char, acid, and light vinegar. Finishes up with some more light sourness. Really interesting.

12oz bottle. Pours very deep brown, topped with a big khaki head that gradually fades to a thin cover. Very woody aroma, with notes of dark fruit, wild yeast, and some vinous notes. Flavor is sweeter than expected at first, with black cherry, dark fruit, and oak. Dry, oaky, tannic finish.