Cask Aged Maillot Jaune
The Livery

 

Thanks to hoppymeal for hooking me up with another interesting beer. A growler of a Biere de Garde aged in used Merlot casks, sounds very interesting. This batch comes in at 8.5% Took this growler to La Bella to share with Tony, Joey, Danny, Jeff, and a few others on 5-16-09.

The color was a very light amber, no head formed from the multiple samples taken from this growler...only a few bubbles at first.

This is a pretty complex brew. Lightly funky on the nose with some pale malt sweetness in the background. Underneath that layer were some notes of sweet apple, oak, and light spices. There were also hints of wheat, bread, and wine notes--almost like a bread soaked in wine. Also some subtle lemon tarness and herbal notes came through near the end of the glass.

Lots of bready flavors in this beer. Bread, grain, light toast, some apples, pears, and a decent layer of brett funk in the finish. As the beer opened up and settled down the bread and toast flavors intensified. Low carbonation, kind of watery on the palate but decent. Very easy to drink.

Pretty much got what I was hoping for...an interesting beer to say the least.

Pours brownish orange and quite murky, beautiful color in the growler like a nectar, a small white head fades back quickly. Smell is of sweet honey and sugar cane, boiled sweet apples and spices, also a woody oaky aroma. Taste is green apples with a little honey, followed by a little lemony tartness, finish is creamy then peppery spice with raw oak and a nice light dryness. Light to medium in body. I highly enjoyed this beer, it was very refreshing on tap after having one of their bigger beers and is hitting the spot tonite also. Would be easy for me to session this one. Another example of the Livery's great breadth.