Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Bière de Garde
San Marcos, California USA

Serve in Stem glass, Tulip

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2007 release; Sampled January 2008
Well carbonated as a careful pour produces a three-finger thick, frothy, dingy tan colored head; the head leaves some lacing and actually forms a textured, rocky surface as it slowly subsides. The beer is a reddish copper amber color, but shows an almost clear, re-hued, copper color when held up to the light. The nose is quite aromatic, interesting notes of fruit mix with unfamiliar spice notes and familiar ones. The aroma reminds me of candied pears, blood oranges, tropical fruit on the fruit side and notes of pepper, fenugreek, mace, . The spice notes in the nose are really quite interesting, I really need to smell Frankincense and Myrrh again to figure out what they are contributing here. While the spice notes are evident, the fruity, even tropical fruitiness is perhaps the most noticeable part of this aroma.

Much drier than I was expecting from this brew that projects such a big aromatic fruitiness. This beer is lightly sweet though, but this perceived dryness seems to accentuate the spice notes of this brew. Flavors of potpourri, perfume like flowers, some turpene like notes (astringent almost hard nutmeg) and something that is a touch like lavender. Fruit flavors of pear, green grapes, and some sort of tropical fruit are all quite noticeable, despite playing a lesser role in the flavor. The beer finishes with a bit of warming alcohol that is noticeable along with some of the astringent, turpene-like spice notes.

The spicing here definitely contribute a sharp, perfume like character to this brew (especially in the flavor); this is not surprising as I think both Frankincense and Myrrh are/were used in that sort of application. It is hard to get a sense if the Brett has kicked in yet, with the ample carbonation I might have guessed so, but the spice notes are still to fresh to really tell yet. This really needs quite a bit of age on it before it comes any where close to peaking; I’ll be trying this in a year or so, but it may actually need a couple to really take off.

750 ml bottle. Pours an amber orange with a white head that quickly goes to a thin collar.

The aroma is hard to pin down - sweet malts, some bretty yeast, a little fruit and some spices and bubblegum.

The flavor is similar to the aroma. Some sweet sugary/buttery malts, a little acidic yeast, some spices (pepper) and a decent amount of bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation.

Overall, an interesting Belgian.

Bottled 22/11/12. A mahogany coloured beer with very little head. A boozy bretty funky beer both in the mouth and aroma with lots of woody notes. A bit fence like to taste. The alcohol is a bit hot. It’s nice enough but a bit over the top in its complexity.

Bottle at Cole’s Rare Beer fest, Buffalo. Dark orange, small white head. Aroma: floral, fruity, slight hints of sourness. Taste: slightly sweet and sour, more floral, some fruit - odd - rye? Not bad, would have it again in a larger quantity to give it a more thorough rating - it was kind of overwhelmed, even at the is alcohol %, with the other big beers at this fest.

clear orange with a fine slightly off-white head. I don’t get much of an aroma but my nose sucks. The flavour is overwhelmingly spiced and a bit dry. There is some hops in there as well. I’m getting a bit of sweet malt as well. This is pretty good but I look forward to seek g what this is like next year.

Coles rare beer fest. Lighter carbonation and spiciness. Some hoppiness kicks in at end. Yeasty. Rather alightweight for this brewery.

2008 bottle. Pours a deep reddish amber with a nice tan head. After that this beer did not do much fo me. I thought the aroma came of like spruce and that transfered to the flavor. I did not care for it. Sort of heavy as well. Plenty of carbonation and a sweetish finish. Not a fan.

750 ml. bottle. Vintage 2009. 10% ABV. Pours a gradually collapsing, light beige head, over a clear, mahogany (SRM 15) body.....nose is light sweet malts, with lemon, cardamom, molasses, dried fruit including cherry and raisin.....taste initially is mildly sweet with dried fruits, slight brown sugar, then sharp spice bitterness, which lingers, aided by some barnyard funk.....mouth feel is medium, carbonation low. This is listed as in the Biere de Garde style. This listing is not correct. The alcohol is too high, the malt back bone too light, and rather simple. There is minimal complexity in the malts. The Brett was done with a light hand, and adds a nice kick. The alcohol was well hidden. Perhaps this is a Belgian Special Ale. BJCP 7/3/12/4/7

Smallish coarseish beige head. Reddish amber body with light carbonation. Toffee marzipan and earth aroma with vinuous alcoholic notes. Sweet-dryish earthy strawberry and toffee taste with bubblegum and sherry notes. Full body. Mild, yet hot mouthfeel. Dry-sweetish earthy resiny barnyard aftertaste with marzipan, alcohol and liqueur notes. Quite nice, and really unusual. (0.75l bottle, not sure where from. 2009 vintage.)

(Bottle 75 cl) Courtesy of fordest. Pours a very cloudy orangey golden with a yellowish head. Aroma of hops, yeast and phenols. Medium body with the main flavours being fruit and yeast. Has an astringent bitter finish with loads of alcohol - almost boozy. 260708