Avery Brabant

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

Serve in Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler

I’m pretty sure this is only my second 5 but it was definately deserving. Bottle pours deep brown with a thin khaki head. On first smell I feel in love. Aroma is juicy, sour and funky...... just the way I like it. I’m not even going to attempt to describe this now because it won’t even do it justice having only tasted 1 bottle. There is sooooo much depth that I found something new in every sip and smell. I only picked one of these up by chance, but now I’m going back to wipe out the rest of them. I’m slowly becoming an Avery fan.

The missus, mother-in-law and I all loved this. The sour tartness and sweetness balanced each other very well. You can taste the wine and oak. You can also taste the mighty deliciousness. Well done Avery. Serving: Bottle

Bottle poured a clear dark brown with a small lingering tan head. Aromas of horseblanket, leather, tobacco, toffee, cherry, vanilla and multiple layers of funk. Palate was light bodied and crisp with a lightly tart finish. Flavors of toffee, cherry, horseblanket, leather, light vanilla, oak, some light vinous notes and multiple layers of tasty funk with a crisp tart funky fruity finish.

The first time I picked up a bottle of "The Reverend" started in me a pure skepticism of Avery Brewing that never really went away. Something about the marketing mixed with something about the beer made me think that these jokers were up to no good. I’ve got a better head on my shoulders these days, and I’ve given the old boys at Avery another go, I’ve liked a lot of their beers but I’ve never considered anything that they have made to be truly exceptional, till now. The beer pours a deep brownish red with an enormous tan head. I basically can’t imagine a beer looking a whole lot better than this one does in a tulip glass. The aroma is wonderful, very oaky very wine like with plenty of barnyard aromas but predominantly you can smell the Zinfandel on this one very strongly. The flavor is complex and very challenging which at this point in the game is one of the most refreshing things about a good beer. The first impression of the beer is that it is very alcoholic and a little bit too boozy, but as it rests on the tongue it settles down a bit on the alcohol to present the most dominant flavor which is leathery and corky, very vinous and reminiscent of a deep red wine. It isn’t till you get past the wine that the funk shows it’s self, but once it’s there it is the most delightful thing about the beer, the beer is very dry and tart with a funkiness that plays well against the red wine canvas. This makes me want to drink some funky wine. This is a truly exceptional beer.

Draft @ Monk’s: Part of the Brett Pack dinner during PBW. This one poured a deep dark red, like wine. The aroma was oak, cherry, sour, and funk. The flavor was smooth, dry oak, sour cherries, acetic acid, and funk. Overall, another A+ beer I’d love to find more of.

The finest mahogany polished to perfection rests under a thin tannish head that simply washes away. There is nary a collar nor a stitching of lace to be found, but if I’m not careful, my neighbor next door will be enquiring as to the sensual aromas emanating from my apartment, and ultimately, my glass. Brettanomyces is her name and earthy barnyard funk is her game. Sour mashed grapes ready for the grappa distiller takes full advantage over the crushed and spent skins, seeds, and stems for a funked zinfandel nose that sends eyes rolling back into my head. Dried cranberries and fresh leather all oiled up and ready for show give way to grape juice concentrate and buttermilk of all things. But then again, buttermilk is its own world of funk and some lactic character is not to be unexpected. Fresh wood settles in comfortably with old barrels oozing zinfandel essence offers the perfect marriage to her Bretty nose. It takes an open mind and an even more open palate to appreciate what that wily family of wild yeast, Brettanomyces, can do for a beer, but once you scratch that itch, she never leaves you and enough is never enough. Lickings lips wet with anticipation, I greedily draw deep my first quaff seeing as I have little-to-no willpower when facing Bretty delights. Smooth and most creamy, she glides across my senses with a playful banter of tart, sour, sweet, and earthen. Her sour side hits hard in the back of the throat while mashed grapes grace the top of my tongue and fill out the bulk of her palate. Take said grapes, pour into a blender, add slightly soured cream, and voila. I’m simply amazed by how smooth and creamy her mouthfeel and body is. Not on the heavy side at least, which is a saving grace for her robust Brett profile: leather, oil, old wood, sawdust, and funk. Her tart hit in the finish is the perfect palate cleanser and keeps bringing me back for more. Dried cranberries join her soured zinfandel berry cousins while homemade pie crust bakes in the background to crisp golden perfection. Add a dash of dry cinnamon and nutmeg powder and I have one of my favorite childhood treats. Each moment is a sensual revelation, though I can tell she has only begun to mature. As warmth settles into my heart, I savor a long finish before facing the sad reality of an empty glass. Thankfully, I still have 5 more bottles to taste at perfectly timed random intervals.

Obviously at only 694 cases there is no more of this beer to be found or to be made. Should you be you be lucky enough to stumble across the Avery Brabant, bring a few bottles home to savor at your own perfectly timed random intervals. Luxurious indulgement was never so affordable. *this beer has been one of the most evolutionary beers i have tasted in 3 years of tasting. fanfreakingtastic, she is never the same once. magnificent*

UPDATED: JUN 9, 2009 Bottle. Pours a dark brown with a small tan head... looks like a cola. Aroma is very wine-like. Oaky and sweet. Taste was very unique. Started out sweet, vanilla maybe? Finish was very fruity and white wine flavored. I loved this one! Probably couldn’t do more than one in a sitting, but I am very impressed with this beer. UPDATED 6/09/09: Even better! The sour flavor is much more pronounced. The strong wine flavor has subsided some but it is still quite noticeable. Great, great beer from Avery.

Bottle feb 10 2009.Pours black with an off-white head.Aroma sweet grapes, sour berries, funky brett and malt.Flavor is chocolate malt,vanilla ,oak and funk ,what a great combination.Some dark berries and grapes/wine.Smooth mouthfeel ,medium body.average carbonation.What a nice beer.