BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien 2006

Sampled at Bockyhorsey’s Bocky Bash on 7-5-08. Cloudy amber-brown pour with a foamy tan head. Lemon and cherries in the aroma. Slightly sour flavors of the same, along with a bit of funk and a slight alcohol bite. An exceptional cherry lemonade!

750ml bottle @Joe’s NYC Gathering courtesy of –pours a thin offwhite head with cloudy orange/brown color. Aroma is tart fruit/vinegar, medium malt. Taste is tart fruit/vinegar, medium malt. Not my taste but nicely done. Occasional.

Bottle sampled at the 7/5/08 Bocky Bash locals tasting. Pours a cloudy amber with bubbly tan head. Nose is sour citrus and vinegar. Taste is sour cherries, lemons and aspirin. Light, bubbly mouth feel. Very good.

25.4 oz bottle. Dark woody brown with a creamy bone head. Nose is honey, caramel, cherry and rose. Smooth medium body that melts away with a tang. Taste is apricot and cherry juice with oaky drying. Finishes with peel and pits.

Deep orange-amber beer. Very rich aroma. Soft earthy funkiness. A bit of rich bretty cologne. Orange peel, black pepper, cherry, oaky tannins. Flavour is a bit sweet and lightly tasrt. Very bright fruity flavour, cherry, apple, pineapple, and musty apple skins as well. Rich and perfumey with a fantastic complexity of funky tartness and sweet fruitiness. Wow.

Bottle at JoeMcfee’s tasting. Bring the funk. Good flavors of different light skin fruits, cherries, grapes etc. Really sick sour ale and the 11% is begging for you to help yourself to more.

I have had this a few times since it was released and most recently at a gathering at JoeMcPhee’s. This is probably the second best after the ’05 version, not quite as sour though. The beer sighs with strong light cherry maltiness and a light layer of barrel and aceto with musky funk. It’s easy to drink and the sourness counteracts anything syrupy or sweet that could come out of such a strong brew. Its very nice and I am surprised this is labeled as a "sour" ale while the more sour ’05 version is considered a BSA.

Bottle: Murky purple-ish amber with a light khaki head. Amazing aroma. Complex with raspberry, passion fruit, brett notes of cherry pit and leather with tons of soft oak. Sharp body with a nice brett presence. Tart with raspberry fruitiness and a sharp lemon-rind hint. Has a late hint of lactic sharp cheese and a horse blanket earthiness. Outstanding.