BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru 2010 (Rhum Barrels)

Formerly brewed at BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes)
Style: Sour Ale/Wild Ale
Saignelégier, Switzerland

Serve in Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler

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Bottle. Poured a clear reddish brown color with minimal head with no lacing lacing. Moderate to heavy sour tart fruit, wood and yeast aroma. Medium to full body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. Medium sweet&sour dark fruit flavor with a medium sour dark fruit finish of moderate duration. This is beer did not meet my expectations.

Bottle... Mostly clear dirty-orange ale with no head. The bouquet is a malty, boozy swirl of caramel, brown sugar and methanol with a light trace of fusel alcohol. Medium-bodied with nearly-expired carbonation. The flavor is a mélange of tart cherries, mildly sweet caramel and a modest measure of tannic, woody bitterness. Finishes bittersweet and caramely with an excellent, fruity, sour-cherry sendoff.

Bottle at Redlight. Generous share by hopscotch! Aroma of red wine vinegar, oak, and light rum spices. Flavor is red wine vinegar, oak, light vanilla, and rum spices. Flavor follows suite with a medium body and tart finish. Not bad.

19th October 2012
THE Sour and Saison tasting. Another Swiss Miss courtesy of Paul (Scopey) - Cheers! Hazy amber beer, little tan head. Light and crisp palate. Smooth. Light vinegar sourness contrasts with mild woody sweetness and subtle vanilla. Whisper of Rum comes through in the aftertaste. Smooth finish. Again drinks well below the abv and a Sour Ale where you can taste the barrel. Nice!

Bottle @ THE Sour and Saison Tasting. Cheers to Scopey for bringing this along! The pour’s hazy deep red with a tiny white head. The nose is light balsamic vinegar, cherry compote, plenty of spicy wood and grape. The taste is funky raspberry jam, balsamic vinegar and light woody booze. A touch of lemon peel. General umami flavors. Smooth for the ABV. Overall, quite nice stuff.

Bottle at THE Sour and Saison Tasting, London. Thanks to Paul for bringing along this doozy. Pours cloudy, red-gold with a lightly, bubbly head. Lots of dry wood int he nose, some dry berries. Light to medium sweet flavor, good and tangy with more dried berries and dried wood. Light to medium boided with fine carbonation. Dries out nicely to finish, with further berries, some leathery fruits, light astringent wood, some warmth - though it’s not as hot as you might expect. Great beer with lots of depth.

Bottle at THE sours & saisons tasting (part 1). It pours hazy deep red, with a thin white head. The nose is spice, wood, dark over-ripe fruit, raisin, tangy red berry, strong cherry aspect, coconut and almond. The taste is tart cherry, raspberry, jam, balsamic vinegar, mouth-puckering tartness, raisin, hint of rum and wood, with a juicy, tart finish. Medium body and moderate carbonation. Alcohol is actually rather well hidden and balance is good. A very interesting and well executed sour ale.

Rating #1100. 12.68 oz bottle. This seems to be the most exotic thing in my fridge, so it’ll have to do for this milestone. I really should age it longer, though! First things first, this is one ugly beer! Pours cloudy orange-brown with lots of sediment and no head; leaves only a ring of big-bubbly foam. Aroma consists of vinegar, barnyard funk, overripe dark fruit, raisins, vanilla, oak. Taste is sour, woody and dry; it’s acidic and tannic. Carbonation is nil and the body is full. Bottom line: I’ve had a few beers with zero carbonation that I really liked, but those were few and far between. Most of the time, I need at least mild carbonation. This is a case where bubbles would have definitely made an improvement.

Served in a BFM goblet. Nose has a distinct rum presence. Flavor is moderately acidic with some cherry and white rum. Alcohol. Medium body.

375 ml bottle, 2010 vintage. Served in a Unibroue tulip, the beer pours a cloudy brown color with pretty much no head at all. Not much lacing, either. The brew smells like sweet and tart dark fruit, oak, vinegar and some rum. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there’s the addition of some apple. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it’s a bit slick with very low carbonation. I think this is an OK brew, but it’s nowhere near worth the price ($18.99 a bottle). Still, it was nice to try it.