Pizza Port Cuvee de Tomme

2008 Bottling. Appearance – Pours a light brown color and turns into a cloudy unfiltered medium brown color with hints of amber around the edges. A very small off white head forms and subsides to small ring clinging to the edge of the glass. A swirl of the beer shows some nice legs. Smell – Large whiff of bourbon, tart cherries, barnyard brett funk, and ocean fresh fish. Taste – Sharp taste of tart cherries. The bourbon is a lot weaker than I thought it was going to be. A nice sour funkiness to it that really hits you like a freight train, in a great way! Mouthfeel – Some light carbonation lends quite a helping hand to this beer; a perfect prickliness gives a nice refreshing feel to the sip. Every sip tickles the tongue and teases it, begging you to take another sip. Drinkability – The alcohol content is pretty high, but this is a small bottle, and I am savoring this beer like it was meant to be savored. Despite the high abv, this one is a huge winner in the drinkability factor.

Bottle. Reddish brown body with a small brown head. Lots of things going on in the aroma. Loads of raisins, bourbon, caramel, oak and slight sour cherries. Flavour is oak, prunes, raisins, bourbon, cherry and warming alcohol. Medium bodied. Very complex brew.

Draft at the 3rd Anniversary Party. Pours a deep red hue. Nose is full of wine barrel and sour cherry. Flavors follow the nose, sour cherry is very pleasant and tasty. Full mouth, well carbonated with a puckering sour to it. Excellent creative beer!

Dark mahoganey, no head. Excellent whiskey / cherry wood aroma. Taste is strong sour woody alcohol which cuts off into a sweet malt yeast that balances the sour perfectly. 2009 lost its mojo. Still solid though

’08 bottle as an extra thanks to kegbear!
Purple-sepia with a bubbly cream head that needed some coaxing. Nose is incredible with a nuanced yet coherent blend of Flemish Sour notes and Strong Ale sweetness: oak, vinegar, plum, and chocolate are married to rich cranberry, cherry, and brown sugar. Flavor has grape skin, cherry, slightly acidic (more vinegar), strong barrel and sugar in the finish with more grape and cherry, minor brett. Though the flavor is complex like the nose, it’s not nearly as coherent, and some of the acid feels harsh against sweet, sugary fruits. Another problem is the high alcohol, which becomes quite noticeable with warmth. Full bodied, perhaps to a fault, and slightly drying but lengthy bitter oak finish. Very good stuff, the balance in the nose being among the most remarkable I’ve sniffed. It’s definitely better a little chilled before the alcohol makes its heavy presence known, but all around, this is terrific! Think Earthmonk with more fruit and less vinegar.

375ml ’08 bottle. Mostly clear burgundy with a little, wispy head. Aroma of black cherries, balsamic vinegar, oak, brett and faint vanilla and licorice. Hugely vinous taste; smacks of tart cherries and aging wood. Alcohol is non-existent except for the warming feeling. Very dry throughout. The dark fruit taste seems to come out as it warms. Very complex. This is truly an amazing beer, and many thanks to (the) Tomme for the Sinner’s club.

I really enjoyed this, the bourbon and fruit notes made a really nice backdrop for the sour, astringent funkiness.

2008 Bottle in a DLD trade from KP. Brown pour with a thin head at the edges of the glass. Aroma is tart with cherries, raspberries, wood, bourbon, green grapes and maybe some hints of lemon. Flavor is tart, but not overly sour. I certainly get sour cherry, bourbon, vinegar, and maybe a tiny, tiny hint of the raisins. Very good and very fun to drink.