2 O'Clock Tasting:
Allagash Brewing Company
Like many other great American craft breweries, the Allagash Brewing Company started as a one-man operation. Founded by beer enthusiast Rob Tod in 1994 on the outskirts of Portland, Maine, Allagash began with a mission to fill a void that other American craft brewers at the time were leaving wide open: Belgian style beer. Though many breweries were making British and German style beers, Tod noticed a significant dearth of the Belgian styled beer he experienced on his travels. So Tod decided to open up his own small brewhouse to emulate Belgian wheat beers and sold his first batch in the summer of 1995. Since then, Allagash has gone from a one-man operation producing 120 barrels of its first (and now signature) style, Allagash White, to a company of around 50 people producing roughly 45,000 barrels of various styles. For this tasting, we've picked three Allagash beers: the Fluxus '12 from the Tribute Series, the Curieux from the Year-Round selection, and the limited-release Odyssey. Like all of Allagash's beers, these are bottled-conditioned, meaning , among other things, that as "living beers" their flavors develop and change over time.
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Fluxus '12
7.7% ABV
Brewed once a year to mark Allagash's anniversary, the 2012 release of Fluxus is a strong golden ale brewed with green and pink peppercorns and lightly hopped with Northern Brewer, Cascade and Saaz varieties. Pouring with a vibrant and clear orange, almost yolk-ish color, the Fluxus '12 exhibited pleasent fruity scents of apricots and mango balanced by the peppery spice of the peppercorns. This peppery balance was also in the taste which had a slightly dry mouthfeel that finished a bit sweet with subdued malty and hoppy flavors.
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Odyssey
10.4% ABV
A dark wheat beer that's aged for ten months, first in oak barrels and then stainless steel barrels, Odyssey is a strong beer with plenty of flavor but one that doesn't overpower. The deep brown color conjures up a luscious root beer or even a barely red-tinged Dr. Pepper with a fluffy off-white head, while aromas of bark, sappy Ponderosa Pines or lightly charred trees waft in. This mix of sweetness and char carries into the flavor, which combines dark sugary, maple candy notes with smooth, lightly roasted chocolate for a creamy and not overly dry mouthful that's surprisingly smooth at 10.4% ABV.
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Curieux
11% ABV
Originally Allagash Brewery's first foray into barrel aging, the Curieux is a very strong Tripel Ale that's cold aged in Jim Beam bourbon barrels and then blended with a bit of fresh Tripel to balance out the flavor. The result is one of Allagash's year-round offerings that's a dark, pale orange in appearance with hints of gold that emits fairly mellow but noticeable smells of fruity bitterness, boozy scotch and classic sweet bourbon. The Jim Beam barrel aging especially comes into play in the taste which is complexly balanced with mild sweetness and beautiful touches of vanilla and bourbon. Though the Curieux is very smooth for an 11% ABV beer, watch out for the alcoholic notes to develop and open up over time as your enjoy this premium ale.
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