Shit yeah. Got a box of four of these on my doorstep two days ago. It’s amazing I’ve waited this long to suck one down, but I knew it was gonna be special, and I wanted to find the right moment. This bad boy came direct from Michael Jackson’s beer of the month club, and I can’t wait to try this thing.
A year ago, I was lucky enough to get my hands on the first beer in this signature series. It was by far the best beer of the year. People were selling bottles of it for $300+ on ebay.
If you are not familiar with the series, it goes like this. American master brewer teams up with Dirk Naudts from De Proef - they combine talents, ingredients, and rare yeast strains to create a one of a kind masterpiece. Last year it was Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing and Lost Abbey in southern California, this year it’s Jason Perkins from Allagash. Hell, I can’t type anymore, and the bottle is getting warm, so lets start it up.
I pop the cork and out pours a cloudy, dirty, stinky, yeasty brew. The bubbly white head provides evidence of the high carbonation level. This thing is murky - no chunks yet, but unless you are used to dirty belgians, this thing might scare you away.
The aroma is a thing of beauty. It’s definitely yeasty, but there are hints of the barnyard, alcohol, and bread. Also noted are some fruity hop highlights, a little citrus zest to top things off.
Damn. I say again, damn. A freaking amusement park for the mouth. Flavors coming in from all directions, it hits your tongue like an electric shock and then spreads to all corners of your mouth. It’s taken me almost a full glass to really get a handle on this thing. At first, I began to notice the pilsner malt, it’s strong, almost like an imperial pilsner, but, its soft like wheat beer. It also has a noticeably hop edge to it, thanks to the 4 month Saaz dry hop stage. This is truly a sophisticated beer from two of the masters of brewing.
As I’ve continued to enjoy this beer, there are some wonderful flavors evolving. Most notably is the presence of a sour flavor. This is a good thing. It’s not overwhelming, but just one of the many elements woven into the overall experience. What is amazing to me is that there are literally dozens of flavor elements going on here. And they all coexist in perfect harmony. It’s like a painting that from far away depicts a landscape, but up close is an incredible array of colors and brush strokes. This beer is the same. Overall, it tastes wonderful and complete, but as you begin to analyze the components, you realize how varied each is.
Amazing.
Wonderful.
A new level of beer.
Amongst the top 5 beers I’ve ever had.
ABV: 8.5%
Serving Type: 750 ml bomber and snifter
Posted by mallen |
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