Pizza Port Cuvee de Tomme

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

This beer causes quite the conversation. How to review a beer in which evoked such a different experience between 3 different samplings? May ’07 release in bottle had developed into the funky sour one of the three. Recently sampled two more versions at the LA barrel tasting - one from french oak; the other in bourbon. Wow. A whole different monster than the bottle, period - the heavy bret influence shown in bottle was replaced by a rich pear/green apple like aroma with such an elegant mouthfeel - simply divine. Such a complex, mind boggling brew. Always quite exciting knowing that every time one gets a shot at tasting this, a new experience will be sure to follow. Rating is for the non-bottle versions. Bravo!

375ml, lost abbey release batch 1. pours flat dark ruby-brown. nose of sour cherries, bourbon, oak, vanilla, tar. flavor is really sour cherries with brett, tobacco, alcohol warmth, and sweet caramel finish. the finish is sweet and bretty. some carbonation could do this beer wonders. a tasty complex tobacco and sour cherry flavor profile.3.9.

7/10/08, 375 ml bottle. 2008 vintage. Lost Abbey release batch 2. thanks to ironchefscott for this one. pours dark red with off white head. nose is tart cherrys, tar, bourbon, vanilla, doughy, cinnamon, sour. wonderful complex aroma. flavor is tart cherries, oak, vanilla, toffee, cheesey, charred woody finish. dry sourness too in the finish. wow this is awesome stuff.4.2.

375ml bottle.....to celebrate the birthday....aroma: lots going on in the nose. i get a fair share of sweet malt and dark fruit but the majority of it is woody with a nice precense of tart cherry.....appearance: dark caramel brown, thin head at first but gradually dissipates....taste: where to even start? tart cherry right of the bat. then hints of vanilla and caramel begin to weave in and not to mention some oak to add to the tartness. it maintained a consistent tart/sour feel to it but never became overbearing. at 11.5%, you would never notice it. very interesting indeed and enjoyed to the largest extent. wish i had more, that’s for sure.

Big thanks to jayg and mgumby for sharing these. 2005 and 2007 bottles. Both poured a murky red color, but in a very good way. Aroma is sour, with dark cherries and plums leading the charge. Some vanilla peeking through. Flavor is blanced, with the sourness remaining blanced and harmonious. Interesting to see what 2 years does to this beer.

Fresh 2007 bottle, with awesome art work. Pours a murky reddish-brown with much head. Sour yeasty aroma with hints of fruit and oak. My tongue didn’t know what the hell to do at first taste. Very tart but not agressive, cherries rasins sugar vingar. After a few sips my palate became adjusted and it started to taste simply amazing. I took a big sip and it made the back of my throat twich. Strange. This beer was very hyped, but worth it. A brew like nothing I’ve ever tried before.

Bottle from Cquiroga shared at BCTC. Black label version. Poured an reddish amber with a thick off-whote head. Nose was bretty, with some oak and sour cherries. Flavor was more sour cherries, a little chocolate, brown sugar, more oak and brett, and even some raspberry. Tasty drink. Wish I had more bud glad to share this gem. Thanks Chris!!

Courtesy MGumby, thanx Mike. Samples from the 05 bottle.this was quite different.Poured a nice golden color with sour and spicy notes on the nose.The alcohol was present but not dominating. Sour fruits up front with some maltiness. Finish was warming wiht some subtle sourness.

Samples from the 05 bottle courtesy mgumby10 and 07 bottle from trade with fordest. 07 bottle - Poured a dead ruby-brown color with zero head. Nice tart cherry and oak aromas meld nicely. The palate is moderately thick, with little carbonation. Taste was not as sour as expected, but the sourness complimented the cherry character very well. The 05 sample was quite a bit more sour than the 07. It seemed the sourness made the brew a little more uneven , but it still was great. The 05 was amply carbonated, and this allowed easier appreciation of the aroma. The only real flaw the 07 had was the carbonation issue. A well-carbonated bottle would certainly gain a few points.