Muscat D'Amour
Avery Brewing Company

Muscat D'AmourMuscat D'Amour
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From:
Avery Brewing Company
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
10.78%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.96 | pDev: 11.36%
Reviews:
26
Ratings:
115
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 28, 2015
Added:
Feb 14, 2012
Wants:
  39
Gots:
  33
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.58 by yeaprolly from Washington

Aug 28, 2015
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Reviewed by Beaver13 from Colorado

3.34/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle bought 3/9/12. Pours clear yellow gold with a fizzy white head that goes to a thin splash.

The aroma is musty white wine with some brett, fruit, oakey vanilla, and alcohol.

The flavor is very dry white wine with some sweet sugary fruits (grape) and a little funk in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a little carbonation.

Overall, an interesting white wine brett beer.
Jun 17, 2015
 
Rated: 4.03 by kamikazeokami from Oregon

Apr 27, 2015
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Rated by kscaldef from Oregon

3/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A little flabby. Too boozy, not much distinct Muscat character.
Apr 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Mar 30, 2015
 
Rated: 3.86 by CheapBeerBuzz from California

Mar 29, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by nathanmiller from New York

Jan 15, 2015
 
Rated: 4.31 by BeerIsntBad from California

Jan 06, 2015
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

3.17/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
BOTTLE: 12 fl oz. Brown glass format. Bottled: Jan 26 2012. Reviewed live as an American wild ale per the label. Gold foil-ed over pry-off pressure cap.

Expectations are sky high; I adored Rufus Corvus. Served cold into Avery stemware and allowed to warm over the course of consumption.

No bubble show forms as it's poured.

HEAD: Fizzy and white. Retention is horrid - ~20 seconds at best. No lacing sticks to the sides of the glass as it recedes.

BODY: Clear vibrant gold-copper. Clean; no yeast particulate or hop sediment is visible.

Overall, it's a good appearance for a wild ale, but isn't unique or special. I'm looking forward to trying it.

AROMA: Chardonnay is evident, as is white grapeskin. Supple. Golden malts shine - an apt choice of malt foundation for a sour. Definite grape must comes through; more of a powdery suggestion would be ideal. I pick up crystal malt and neutral brettanomyces, but no funkiness, sourness, or true wild character. It's a bit tart, I guess. Hints of apple skin. Overall, I find it wanting - for a wild ale, it's surprisingly clinical and sterile (at least in the aroma). As it begins to warm, some uninteresting neutral oak emerges - but doesn't bring any toastiness, barrel sugars, or vanilla with it.

No biscuity yeast or overt hop profile is detectable, nor are any off-notes. Aromatic intensity is mild overall.

TASTE: The malt foundation is nice - honey malt, Belgian golden malts, clean barley, crystal malt - but it does lend the beer a bit too much sweetness. The lack of sourness is severely disappointing; this is a 0-1/10 in terms of sourness. Don't expect any tartness either. Or funkiness, for that matter. The brettanomyces yeast does very little here, evoking only a glimmer of tartness that disappears beneath the prominent malt base. Grape must is present, but can't save the beer from its shockingly plain (and frankly boring) flavour profile. Oak is equally subdued, coming off neutral and reticent. It's balanced, but in fairness there just aren't many notes to balance. The chardonnay/white grape character is nice, lending the flavour profile apt cohesion, but ultimately this just tastes like a shell of a beer - as though the brewers forgot to add bacteria or wild yeast.

Average depth and duration of flavour. Low flavour intensity. I do like it, but its dire simplicity holds it back, and the absence of wild characteristics make it a fundamental failure in its style.

TEXTURE: Slightly powdery. Smooth, wet, clean, crisp. Well-carbonated. Medium-bodied. Moderate thickness.

I do give it loads of credit for how well it disguises its ABV - this is over 10% and drinks like it's 5%. Wow.

Not oily, gushed, hot, boozy, astringent, harsh, rough, or scratchy.

This texture complements the taste nicely, but isn't optimal and doesn't elevate the beer. More of a powdery delicate beer would help accentuate the grape must notes. Presence on the palate is nice, but could be better.

OVERALL: Extremely disappointing given it's billed as a wild ale. This is one of those neutral brettanomyces-only "wild ales" that stems from the erroneous belief that brettanomyces alone can induce sufficient sourness/tartness. Sour lovers will regret purchasing this - especially at its high price point. I wouldn't bother with it again, but if it were half the price and billed as a glorified wild saison, that'd be a bit more fair. This is one brew in Avery's (purported) sour lineup that can be skipped. That said, it's shockingly drinkable for its high ABV. But why does Avery always shoot for unreasonably high ABVs? It seems to come at the expense of flavour.

I get that they're not going for a sour, but even as a brett-only brew intended to showcase wine must, it's a failure. It just doesn't evoke what it needs to, and isn't that flavorful.

High C+
Dec 30, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by hopsonboard from California

Dec 11, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by wethorseblanket from California

Oct 31, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by mmulebarn from Minnesota

Sep 19, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by funkyaudio from Illinois

Sep 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by zestar from California

Jul 13, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Stoutsman from Kansas

Jul 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by wrightst from Maryland

Jun 06, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Gonzoillini from Illinois

May 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Gobzilla from California

May 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by djrn2 from New Jersey

Apr 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by vonnegut21 from New York

Apr 09, 2014
Muscat D'Amour from Avery Brewing Company
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 115 ratings