Pizza Port Cuvee de Tomme

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

A 2008 Bottle. Emerica56, I thank you for inspiring me to rate again. Thanks John this one cheers to you. Pours a luscious dark red with burnt hues giving the brew a murky transparency. Creamy khaki head dances along the edge of the glass, disapating slow from the middle. Nose is delightful and tart. Cherry, cranberry, oak, vanilla, some brown sugar. Initial taste is a taste bud explosion. Intial tart cherry, rhine bitterness counter balancing with dark fruits, sweet malts, raisans, bourbon, vanilla. Hint of mollasses, caramel, cocoa mellows in the background into the finish. Acidity levels are perfect and not overwhelming at all. Medium body and silky mouthfeel. Refreshing, complex and well balanced. Alcohol is extremely well hidden. Palate duration is above average. One oustanding brew.

Have had this about 4 or 5 times, but now I’m going to rate this 375mL 2008 bottle from weeheavysd, I believe. Clear deep ruby with a 1/2 finger beige head, fading to a thick ring rather quickly. Sour cherries and lactic acid up front with some raisins, brown sugar, bourbon and oak behind. The flavor has a definite sour and sweet boozy side that are easily discernible, yet do blend together nicely as well. Alcoholic heat in the back of the throat shows the strength of this beer. There was also some light leather. Sourness peaked around a 5 in the semi-dry finish. Full body with light prickly carbonation. Pretty good beer, though the 750 that was a few years old I enjoyed more (from badbeer, I think).

Extremely dark brown pour with a minimal head. Aroma is absolutely ridiculous; lots of tart cherry and cranberry, vanilla, bourbon, raisin, fig, molasses- the mixture of sour and sweet and the malt complexity is phenomenal. Flavor is insane- initial hit is reminiscent of a classic belgian strong dark, with some awesome sweetness of plum, black cherry, and raisin. This aspect lasts briefly, and then unfolds into the middle and most lasting part of the flavor, which is a brilliant tart but still incredibly palatable and smooth sour cherry with bretty notes. At the finish, the sweetness comes back, but in a different incarnation from the beginning; here, it is more of an oaky, boozy, and sugary portrayal. Notes of caramelized sugar, molasses, and vanilla bourbon come through. The mouthfeel is also epic; extremely smooth and drinkable, but, like the flavor, is bold and complex- the tongue is never bored. This is an exquisite and unique specimen of beer. One of my all-time favorites.

Bottle. Thanks to Rciesla for sharing. Brown pour with small carbonation. Sour cherry aroma and sweet dark fruits. Flavor is excellent: nice tartness,and cherry flavor; somewhere between a Belgian strong ale and a cherry sour. Nice brew.

Thank you awaisanen for this delicious specimen. Dark brown pour with one finger vivacious tan head. Quick to dissipate, though the aroma surely does not. Aroma is tart at first- reminiscent of a fine kriek. Dark fruit comes through quite powerfully as well, with raisin most evident, and dark sugars such as maple syrup, toffee and caramel poking in more subtly. A slight vanilla bourbon quality is present throughout, which complements the other aromas quite fittingly and uniquely. Flavor is a swirling torrent of caramel, vanilla, tart cherry, unprocessed fresh cranberry, molasses and woody earthiness. Bourbon profile is present, but never distracting, providing a curious but well done complement to the dark sugar sweetness and ultimately the tart fruitiness and acidity. Palate is soft and velvety, providing a sticky but clean and highly quaffable texture. I think this one fell pseudo-victim to Lost Abbeys recent carbonation issues, but there was still a little left. I think it makes it even better than the carbonated one I had last week. One of the more unique beer’s I’ve ever had- quite a masterpiece. August Re-Rate with craftycarl2 after 5 days of aging.

Stone Sourfest. I’ve wanted to sample this for about a year, and just never made the right connection at the right time. Damn glad I finally got the hook up here. Straight out goodness. Rich and sweet. Tart and cranberries. Huge full mouth of flavor. Simply great.

12 oz bottle thanks to Kegbear. Pours a murky brown with a small ring of off white. Some legs on the sides of my tulip glass. Aromas of cherry, vanilla, coriander ,vinegar,citrus and some oak. Nice carbonation and really nice sourness. Overall a wonderful beer.

2009 Bottle - Thanks JCB! - Pours a ruddy brown with no head...aroma is funky right off the bat, but not brett funky, more like chode funky...it gets better as it warms and becomes a rich, sour bouquet of cherries and cocoa, oak and dark fruit...flavour is full of lemon cherry pucker, vanilla oak phenols and a light delayed malt end note that creeps up...my obtuse human palate is far too ignorant to sense the carbonation, maybe if I was a mole or a shark or some other animal that more closely relies on its senses to live and thrive, but not mine...either way, very tasty stuff...