Pizza Port Cuvee de Tomme

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
San Marcos, California USA

Thanks Tomme. I poured this into a 1.5 liter Chimay goblet and it created a wonderful yet shortlived pancake across the top leaving a sliky half moon lace. It’s a dark brownish amber color. Aromas are a bit tart pushing green apple, minerals, and citric acid forward. From the bottle I can smell the cherries but not from the goblet. Medium nectar weight with good carbonation. This is very complex and completely defies my expectations. A dry style with bushels of green stonefruit just throwing themselves at me. I’m getting nuances of cotton candy, popsickle, and cherry blush. Beautifully balanced, I never would have guessed the abv so high. We’re starting to get into the Champagne genre with this one. The finish is beautifully bittered with acidity and has a lingering green apple cherry blush kicking it forward still. Overall: a worthy specimen with superior balance.

375 ml corked and caged bottle 2008 Vintage Lost Abbey Cuvee de Tomme. I received this bottle as part of the Sinners club. Pour is dark burgundy with a smallish tan head. Aroma of musty cherries and some woody bourbon barrel. A fair amount of alcohol heat present in the nose. Taste is less cherry fruitiness and more of the boozy bourbon woodiness. Very dry. There is some tartness, but not much sweetness. As it warmed, more of the sweet and tart cherry came through. Boozy bourbon finish. This was like an amped up / boozed up version of Rodenbach Grand Cru to me.

Sampled at Hellbilly’s Hellraiser II. 05 courtesy of footy. Bourbon aroma. Murky brown body color. Moderate swetness and a good smooth bourbon flavor. 9/3/8/4/18 = 4.2
08 coutesy of Rustychiles. Had one of the most funkiest aromas from a beer. Darker body than the 05. Flavor had a sweeter fruity tart presence to it. 7/3/8/3/15

Pours opaque brown, thin head. Great complexity! Bretty nose, slight sour cherry and blackberry notes. Very slight bourbon character comes out as it warms. Alcohol warms the throat. What an awesome "malt beverage".

Sampled at Noogfest 08, from JohnC? Whomever brought this, thank you VERY much. Pours a murkey dark amber with creamy tan head. Wonderful complex aroma of brett, cherries, and earthy malt. Body and texture are perfect. Nice harmonious flavors of cherry, dark belgian malt, vanilla, tobacco, and banana. Finish is dry with the oak characteristics coming forward, with a touch of moderate sourness on the tail end. Alcohol is well hidden. The transition of flavors on the palate are very enjoyable. This is a world class beer and will go on my wants lists.
CELLAR CHECK 11-13-09- 2008 bottle purchased from RBSG. This is still holding up, but has lost some sweetness which brings out more acetic and acidic qualities. Perhaps just a wisp of oxidation. If you have some, drink them now because I suspect this beer is on the decline.

Thanks a ton to turdferguson for sharing this. Pours a dark ruddy brown with ruby highlights. The head is about a finger or two thick creamy and tan. Looking very nice. The nose and flavor of this were incredibly complex. The nose shows some very genuine cherry, creamy vanilla, caramel, spicy, a little oak. The flavor is tart and spicy, nice cherry, vanilla, caramel, warm, the oak and bourbon are well contained and began to become more pronounced with warmth. Very spicy warm palate, tart but not sour (as Sam put it). The finis is tart and spicy with a long warm finish.

5-24-08 bottle shared by Miketd
Thick brown color. Smell is nice and balanced and has some cherry in there as well. Flavor is nice and clean and balanced but has a vinegar aftertaste that is a bit too strong and ill fitting here for me. Overall, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Appearance: Pours a dull, wooden (in fact it matches the color of the table) brown body with a thin, fizzy, off-white head. Smell: Aroma of condensed and stewed cherries, pits and all. Notes of wooden planks seasoned with sea salt. Taste: Woody, leathery, but never forgets its cherry heritage. Nice Bretty, lactic qualities. Reasonably tart and sour, though there’s some subtle malty sweetness to be found. Touch of spice. A few drops of tawny port. Unshakable tastes reminiscent of salty potato skins and grilled portabello mushrooms. The flavors rise and fall on the long, lasting finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Mild carbonation. Drinkability: Man, I never would’ve guessed it was over let alone near being 10% ABV. Very tasty for sure. Well played, Tomme.