Sour Ale – The Barley Whine

Avery Fortuna: Barrel Aged Series #28

September 15, 2015 by Steve Leave a Comment

Avery Fortuna: Barrel Aged Series #28

Tequila, distilled from the blue agave plant native to Mexico, heralds south of the border adventure and indulgence like no other spirit. Consumption is popularized as the rapid shooting of pours, rather than by snifter. And while bourbon or single malts are consumed straight by connoisseurs, tequila is so tied with shots that even less sophisticated tequila drinkers tend to pound shots, chased with a lime and salt. Despite the availability of opulent brands that age for years on wood, rounding out flavors like bourbon, the drink is not always associated with high end production. But some do recognize the potential for the better bottles. Writing in Paste, Nathan Borchelt points out that Quentin Tarantino gives visual adulation to Tres Generaciones Anejo, “which Bill drinks before that last East-meets-West sword fight”.

KIll Bill Tequila

This is a girding drink, one to firm up resolve before a fight. Tequila is a rough drink, best slammed down, or sipped straight up. But all this would ignore that other use for blue agave nectar, the margarita. And this apparently, was the inspiration for a new Avery sour in their limited Barrel Series.

THE BEER

The 28th release in Avery’s much heralded ‘Barrel Series’ brings a new twist (puns!) to their limited release beers in the gold foil. Avery, known for their great wheat ale White Rascal as well as one of the best barrel programs in the country, regularly hosts very popular GABF week events featuring their limited release brews. For the twenty eighth small batch release, Avery attempted something highly creative, in utilizing tequila barrels and adding the lime and salt flavors of a margarita. Admittedly, had this not been an Avery beer, the expectations for such an experiment would be quite low. But with such a great reputation wrapped up on that shiny foil, we decided to give the somewhat expensive 12oz bottle a try. The barrels come from Suerte Tequila, also based in Colorado.

TASTING NOTES

Opening this bottle I thought; ‘What does tequila smell like’? It is a distinctive agave aroma that is never quite as pungent as, say bourbon was my best recollection. Aristotle suggested that humans primarily recall smells that are pleasurable or painful, so those who have had a rough morning caused by tequila might get a better sense of the tequila barrels in play here. For me, the barrel note was a subtle oak with what could be tequila, certainly lime. The carbonation produced a fine head that faded soon after. The taste on Avery Fortuna was the real surprise. Not nearly as funky as many of their sours, a distinctive lacto sour note was present, along with a tart semi-sweet element that was very complex. I am guessing this was from the Suerte barrel. This was followed up with some lime and perhaps a hint of salt. Not as salinated as gose, the salt here was just enough to make you thirsty for another ponderous sip of this unique beer. The more I sampled, the more this margarita variant drew me in. The carbonation stays potent, and the dry finish with that hint of wood aging is simply a delicious combination.

CONCLUSION

Brewers more and more and hard pressed to come up with new ideas for recipes that will make their beer stand out. Even less common is a completely new (as far as I know) idea for a beer that actually stands out beyond the novelty. Based around the idea for a summertime Mexican restaurant staple, Avery Fortuna is a refreshingly mild sour beer with subtle tequila and salt notes, that come together to form a tasty brew. It defies the odds and makes people what would make tequila their last choice at the bar appreciate the flavors it brings to a sour, citrus forward brew. If you find one on the shelves or they bring a keg to your town, jump on the chance to try this crazy combination.

7.0/10

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A Visit to Cantillon Brewery

September 22, 2014 by Steve Leave a Comment

INTRODUCTION

A trip to Belgium would be a waste if not for a visit to the Mecca of true gueuze blending, Cantillon. Not a far walk from the tourist friendly, the relatively quiet street on which some of the finest traditional sour beers continue to be brewed, even as most other similar blenders have been lost to history and less discerning beer palettes. We took the self guided tour, tasted the two free samples that come with it, and then enjoyed a delicious bottle of Fou Foune. Cantillon owner and brew Jean Van Roy, who spied my Lost Abbey shirt, was even so kind to tell us some tales and share some of the yet unreleased Zwanze Day 2014 blend. Iris with cherries and a zesty undertone of spice was a real treat. Living history making history, this brewery continues a tradition of amazing lambic blending, while making new beers all their own.

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CONCLUSION

With an informative, easy paced tour, finishing with a relaxed tasting room offering up amazing beers brewed just a few feet away, this was a visit to remember. The Cantillon tasting room offers samples as well as full bottles of lambic and even a few rare bottles like Zwanze Day ’12 and ’13 the day we visited. There are also bottles for sale, as well as merchandise like glasses, shirts and even ceramic lambic pitchers. Beer geeks like myself arrive, as well as random tour groups, checking off one of the ‘1000 Places to See Before You Die’. With great people working there, eager to help with questions, along with some of, if the the world’s best sour beers, Brasserie Cantillon is a must visit for any beer fan with a taste for Belgian lambics, especially gueuze and kriek. If you ever have a chance to visit Brussels, skip the Manneken Pis, and head straight for the best brewery visit you’ll likely find anywhere.

3 Fonteinen Hommage

August 21, 2014 by Steve Leave a Comment

Brewed first in 2007 and again in 2013, 3 Fonteinen Hommage is a lambic loaded with raspberries and sour cherries.

Located in Beersel Belgium, just south of Brussels, 3 Fonteinen was founded way back in 1887 as a Geuzestekerij, a blender of old and new lambic to produce geuze. Currently run by Armond and Guido De Belder, the brewery has had financial struggles, at one point selling all the brewery equipment and blending the remaining lambics into a special four part series; Armand ‘4 Oude Geuze. These limited release blends helped secure financing for 3 Fonteinen to continue.

THE BEER

The beer we tasted 3 Fonteinen Hommage batch 2 brewed in late 2013. The commercial description: A blend of lambic beers brewed at 3 Fonteinen, with an addition of 30% whole fresh raspberries from the fabled Payottenland and 5% sour cherries. This unfiltered beer will enjoy a spontaneous refermentation in the bottle. No artificial colors or flavor enhancers are added. Lambic is brewed only from 60% barley malt, 40% unmalted wheat, hops and water. In commemoration of the late Gaston Debelder, founder of the 3 Fonteinen blendings

TASTING NOTES

From the uncorking, Hommage strikes a presence with its bold ruby color and a potent bouquet of raspberries and an earthy funk. The white bubbles atop dissipate soon after pouring. The flavor is boldly fruit forward with sweet/tart cherry and raspberry initially, followed strongly with the earthy funk that washes over the fruit, sour notes, and the oak aging showing on the finish. The masterful blend of lambics brings such a complex funkiness that makes Hommage a different creature than, say Lindemans Framboise. Carbonation is good and the body light, making this a quaffable masterpiece.

CONCLUSION

Sour beers with fruit can be one of the most satisfying styles to have survived Belgium beer styles near extinction. Currently, many brewers take on the challenge of making a complex sour base beer, sweetened with tart fruit. Sadly, the results are often weak, malty beers that have far too little character of flavor to be lambic, and too little fruit (it takes tons) to be fruit forward. 3 Fonteinen on the other hand, shows their mastery of blending, combining old and new lambics, with ineradicable local fruit, to make a world class beverage. Having tasted the best regarded of American wild/lambics with fruit, 3 Fonteinen Hommage stands out above them all as perhaps the most sophisticated, engaging, and ultimately satisfying sour fruit beer to cross our paths. Do yourself a favor and try something by 3 Fonteinen, the beers are world class.

9.5/10

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Avery Odio Equum

January 7, 2013 by Steve Leave a Comment

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AVERY ODIO EQUUM

Our first taste of a limited release barrel-aging sour program from Boulder Colorado’s Avery Brewing.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SOUR?

Avery, known to me for their amazing double IPA the Maharajah and their bourbon barrel-aged Uncle Jacob’s Stout, apparently has a huge lineup. Their limited barrel-aged series sours do not make our market so I had no idea they even attempted sour beers. Having had some really unpleasant experiences at a brewer who has been experimenting with sours with sub-optimal results. But Avery rarely disappoints, and at batch 13, like MTV releasing Buckwild, here comes another proven winner, releasing yet another take on craft beer.

Commercial description: Such a strong and ugly word, but unfortunately true. Our vintner friend just doesn’t appreciate the depth and character of the aromas and flavors that Brettanomyces creates like we do. Like you do. But the dude has some seriously fine Cabernet Sauvignon barrels that he shared with us to help create this wondrous sour ale. Our lucky #13 in this series. Aged for 12 months in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels.

TASTING NOTES

Pours a cloudy, ruddy orange with minimal tan head that dissipates quickly. Nose brings oak, huge lactic acid, raspberries, some funkynesss, and wine. Sparkling carbonation. Taste is quite sour, tart with raspberries, with potent acid, covered mostly with the fruit and funk. Not nearly as funky as the nose would indicate though. Like the bitterness of an IPA, sours will build up their primary flavor with each sip. The Avery Barrel-aged Series #13 Odio Equum however, has enough sweetness to minimize this effect, making the drinkability quite high. Finish is tart and dry. Overall, the complexity is a bit less than expected, but this is a delicious beer.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first taste I’ve had of Avery’s barrel-aged series, and it has me excited to drink more of the Odio Equum and whatever comes next. The sour or wild ale is a style that can go wrong in a number of ways, and Avery has passed the hurdle of not making a drain pour. While not quite on par with Belgian lambics, or Russian River, Avery Odio Equum far exceeded expectations. Barrel aged #13 is truly a delicious beer that uses raspberries and the cabernet barrels to balance the sour notes. Seek out this delicious experiment from Avery.

7.5/10