BFM Cuvée du 7ème

Formerly brewed at BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes)
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Saignelégier, Switzerland

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

2006 Bottle. Head is initially large, frothy, rocky, off-white, fully lasting. Body is hazy dark amber, bottle conditioned. Aroma is moderately malty (cooked caramel, cookie, toasted bread), lightly to moderately yeasty (cobwebs), lightly hoppy (flowers), with notes of cave earth, peach/nectarine, light note of alcohol, pomegranate, candied tropical fruits. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, velvety texture, lively carbonation, lightly alcoholic. Really fruity and enticing aroma, very very sexy. The flavor isn’t as rich and satisfying as Bavaisienne, but this was really delicious.

Last HWOH. Pours a deep amber with a thin head and ok carbonation. Herbal phenolic, vanilla and hops in the aroma. Moderate sweetness from caramel malts for balance in the flavor and a nice herbal hoppy bitterenss. Citrus, herbal, earthy hops throughout.

Lightly hazed dark amber color with a taller beige head. Mild pine and citrus hops in the background add some depth the the pale malt and yeast profile in the aroma. Yeast adds a bit too much and this comes across as a "belgian" more than an IPA. Woody pine and pale malt again are embraced with a citric bitterness and a true yeast character. In some ways an IPA, in some ways a belgian ale, and yet in some ways just a beer looking for an identity. A nice brew to set back with.

Bottle and served in my other NB worthy glass: Deep amber hue with coppery highlights, fading frothy head and spotty lace. The aroma has notes of cherry pits, apricot, caramel, rye bread, hint of barnyard yeast and sadly some medical cleaner and phenolic activity.

The taste is moderate acidic fruits over layers of pale malts. Some herbal and earthiness found as well. The finish is lightly peppery and woody. The mouth feel is lively and dry with that damn medicinal aftertaste. Okay but there is something about this that I found stand-offish, very disappointing.

(IPA...say what?, yo admins please change this)

Bottle (750ml). Shared with blankboy, GregClow, mds and tupalev - my bottle via trade with Ughsmash. Murky deep orange, huge fluffy off-white lasting head. Aroma like a mild geueze - sour, extremely yeasty, lightly lactic, cut-grass hops. The taste is very yeasty and pungent hops, sharp, crisp and bitter in the finish. Decent body, bitter finish, nice carbonation. Solid beer, really like it.

33 cL swingtop from Once Upon a Vine South, Richmond, VA. Pours a fairly murky yellow-brown color with white floaties, some of them fairly large. Medium head with decent head retention and lacing. Aroma is citrus, light funk and light hop notes. Taste is quite funky with huge citrus notes, caramel and a slightly bitter, minty, leafy hop note in the finish. Some pineapple, berry and other fruits. Medium bodied. Just like most of their brews this one is odd, interesting and quite good.

Shared bottle at JK’s Spring Gathering. From the bottle it pours an opaque burnt copper brown with a creamy tan head. Lacing is very good. Aromas picked up were tart lemons, caramel, prunes and perfume hops. Taste was tart fruit, some grass, and caramel. Finish was a dry sour and then a quite warm aftertaste.

Courtesy of the one and only Gillard. It pours hazy copper with orange hues and loose thin off white head. The aroma is a bit musty with malts, spicy hops, dark berry fruitiness and smooth sweet sweetness. The taste is a bit bright with a mix of berry sweetness and tartness as well as caramel candy. The finish fades away with the aid of modest berry tartness.