BAM
Allagash Brewing Company

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From:
Allagash Brewing Company
 
Maine, United States
Style:
Belgian Pale Strong Ale
ABV:
9%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.07 | pDev: 6.63%
Reviews:
3
Ratings:
22
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 18, 2014
Added:
Aug 31, 2012
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
The Origin of BAT + BAM

If there's one thing that's distinctly Belgian, it's that way they have of imbuing each batch of beer with a sense of history. For this year’s Allagash / BeerAdvocate collaboration brew, we tried to do the same. First, we got our base going: a 9-percent, 35-IBU (International Bittering Units) beer made with Pilsner malt, honey malt and rye, Northern Brewer bittering hops, and Mt. Hood and Czech Saaz as late additions. One-third of that base beer was destined for a Herradura tequila barrel, where it sat for three months. The rest was aged for three months in barrels with a more complicated history—they were Jim Beam bourbon barrels before Allagash used them for Curieux (their barrel-aged Tripel); then the barrels were used by two different mead makers, Artesano in Vermont and Maine Mead Works in Portland. The resulting two beers offer nuanced flavors that are unique to this batch, thanks to the rich history of the wood it was aged in—and what's more Belgian that that?

BAT
The base beer, an Amber of sorts, aged for three months in a tequila barrel. Smoky, with some nutty and dried fruit character.

BAM
The same base beer used in BAT, aged for three months in two mead barrels, which lend a chardonnay-like nose, some tropical fruit character, honey and some toasted oak flavor. Beers from the two barrels were blended into one final batch.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by asafarc2:
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Rated by asafarc2 from Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%

Sep 13, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by spycow from Illinois

Oct 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by malfunxion from New York

Aug 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by fdig23 from Pennsylvania

Nov 11, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by Jennille from Massachusetts

Jul 23, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by pknyc from New York

Jun 13, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by waddellc2 from Pennsylvania

Jun 08, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by ricchezza from Massachusetts

Jun 06, 2013
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

3.77/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On-tap at Bar on Buena. Served in a tulip.

A - Off-white foam settles to a solid cap, leaving behind splotchy lacing. Hazed orange-brown body that is evocative of cider.

S - Smells a lot like a Belgian amber, Belgian yeast, nebulous fruity notes, some bready malt, mild earthy hopping, and light oak. Quite a bit sweeter than BAT, which I'm guessing is from the mead barrels, although I don't think I could have guessed that blind.

T - Again, the barrel-aging is quite understated, with the base Belgian amber dominating the flavor profile. Tangy yeast, some vague stone and citrus fruits, bready malts, and light oak. Perhaps a bit of honey, either from mead or malt.

M - Dry, medium-full body, with lower carbonation. A bit of alcohol shows up and lends some warmth.

D - Not bad, but sort of underwhelming. It's a somewhat generic Belgian amber with only faint barrel characteristics (particularly compared to BAT). No major flaws, but not a beer I'd reach for often.
May 29, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

May 29, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by wdarcy77 from Massachusetts

Apr 07, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by Janeinma from Massachusetts

Mar 13, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by Mikecap from Massachusetts

Mar 09, 2013
Photo of TheBrewo
Reviewed by TheBrewo from New York

3.82/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This brew was served from the tap at The Blind Tiger in New York, NY into a stemless chalice. It glowed a reddish golden amber, showing a half finger tall head of stark white bubbles. A ghostly film was left across the top, but lacing appeared minimal. There was a heavy haze to the clarity, but no sediment was noted. Carbonation appeared average. The aroma showed nice oak barrels, honey and and maple sweetness, heavy malts of wheat and pales alike, and a final milky, lactic sweetness to cut the seriousness of wood. Our first impression was that there was nice fruity sweetness to the flavoring, with a hearty souring grain mash to the back. As we sipped, sugary sweetness of violet grapes and old apples started things off. These prepared the palate for the onslaught of booze to the peak, with fusel ethanol boxing hard against caramel malts, coin, and bittering magic marker phenols. The finish gave more apple sweetness, peppery booze, and black cherry sweetness. The aftertaste breathed of honey, booze, pale and caramel grain, metallic coin, and mineral water. The body was medium, and the carbonation was medium. There was drying bite through the middle, with chalky, bone dry astringency on the back. Slurp, cream, and froth were all nice. The abv was appropriate, and the beer drank okay.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the sweetness through the taste. This is seriously tested throughout the taste, with hearty strength to the malty backbone and boozy bite. The final flavoring, however, ends up nicely balancing the sweetness to this bitterness. While the blend is nice, BAM is weaker in overt punch when compared directly to Allagash’s other special offerings.
Nov 20, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by Buie

Oct 20, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by sailorastro from Connecticut

Sep 20, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by Auror from Massachusetts

Sep 13, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by jlenik from New Jersey

Sep 11, 2012
 
Rated: 4.5 by bluerabbit from Massachusetts

Sep 10, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by PEIhop from Massachusetts

Sep 09, 2012
BAM from Allagash Brewing Company
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 22 ratings