Veritas 001 | The Lost Abbey
Brewed by:
The Lost Abbey
California, United States | website
Style: American Wild Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.00%
Availability: Limited (brewed once)
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by ggaughan on 02-08-2007
This beer is retired; no longer brewed.
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Reviews: 27 | Ratings: 45
3.5/5 rDev -16.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Opens pretty flat, tart cherry touching on balsamic, light balsamic vinegar and a touch strawberry vinegar both in the nose and flavor. It's completely flat, gross brown color. As expected, a bit oxidize but not terribly. This is decent but nothing special - slightly Flanders-y, maybe Flanders light. The mead is almost completely lost, with a soft honey aftertaste that is its only sign. Tastes great on the novelty, really rarity. I am very thankful for the experience, Joel and Tomme.
★ 488 characters
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Opens pretty flat, tart cherry touching on balsamic, light balsamic vinegar and a touch strawberry vinegar both in the nose and flavor. It's completely flat, gross brown color. As expected, a bit oxidize but not terribly. This is decent but nothing special - slightly Flanders-y, maybe Flanders light. The mead is almost completely lost, with a soft honey aftertaste that is its only sign. Tastes great on the novelty, really rarity. I am very thankful for the experience, Joel and Tomme.
★ 488 characters
4.41/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From 04/14/12 notes. Thanks to Thorep420 for sharing this one at the DC Lambic & Sour Tasting as part of a full Veritas set, 001-010.
a - Pours a murky dark brown color with no head or carbonation evident. Looks pretty average.
s - Smells of sour cherries and dark fruits, oak, fruity malts, light wine. Very nice nose; not overly sour but enough and it's certainly enjoyable.
t - Tastes of of sour cherries, bourbon, tart dark fruits, oak, fruity malts, toasted malts. Taste is not as sour as the nose but I like it quite a bit.
m - Medium body and no carbonation. Very smooth and easy to drink. A little carbonation and this would have been perfect.
o - Overall a great sour fro Lost Abbey; After 006, 004, and 007 this is probably my favorite one. Nice sour dark fruits in the nose and bourbon in the taste...worth seeking out still.
★ 841 characters
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From 04/14/12 notes. Thanks to Thorep420 for sharing this one at the DC Lambic & Sour Tasting as part of a full Veritas set, 001-010.
a - Pours a murky dark brown color with no head or carbonation evident. Looks pretty average.
s - Smells of sour cherries and dark fruits, oak, fruity malts, light wine. Very nice nose; not overly sour but enough and it's certainly enjoyable.
t - Tastes of of sour cherries, bourbon, tart dark fruits, oak, fruity malts, toasted malts. Taste is not as sour as the nose but I like it quite a bit.
m - Medium body and no carbonation. Very smooth and easy to drink. A little carbonation and this would have been perfect.
o - Overall a great sour fro Lost Abbey; After 006, 004, and 007 this is probably my favorite one. Nice sour dark fruits in the nose and bourbon in the taste...worth seeking out still.
★ 841 characters
4.42/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Original review: November 10, 2010
I am over the moon right now. This beer was on my never ever list. Well...never say never. Thanks Damian and Lona.
This beer is a hazy dark burnt brown hue. The head and lacing are very subdued, typical of an aged sour ale in most cases. The aroma is of wine, tannins, and oak. Fabulous taste. The feel is still nice, though the beer is slightly under-carbonated. I am in total disbelief that I an actually drinking this. Does drinkability really factor into the equation when discussing Veritas 001? This put a nice final touch on a great night.
"My first, my last, my everything" - Barry White.
****
Somehow, I managed to sample this beer again. Thanks to Thorpe429 for the share.
Consumed with all ten Veritas beers on April 14, 2012.
Wow, this has held up well. Even better than the first time I tried it. I am really surprised that this beer is still tasting so fine. Rich, vinous, tannic, complex, balanced. A delightful experience.
★ 980 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Original review: November 10, 2010
I am over the moon right now. This beer was on my never ever list. Well...never say never. Thanks Damian and Lona.
This beer is a hazy dark burnt brown hue. The head and lacing are very subdued, typical of an aged sour ale in most cases. The aroma is of wine, tannins, and oak. Fabulous taste. The feel is still nice, though the beer is slightly under-carbonated. I am in total disbelief that I an actually drinking this. Does drinkability really factor into the equation when discussing Veritas 001? This put a nice final touch on a great night.
"My first, my last, my everything" - Barry White.
****
Somehow, I managed to sample this beer again. Thanks to Thorpe429 for the share.
Consumed with all ten Veritas beers on April 14, 2012.
Wow, this has held up well. Even better than the first time I tried it. I am really surprised that this beer is still tasting so fine. Rich, vinous, tannic, complex, balanced. A delightful experience.
★ 980 characters
4.3/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Shared by Thorpe in our Veritas line-up, all 10 Veritas beers available at the time of this review. I expected this one to be horrible but instead I was pleasantly surprised. Beer served in a Lost Abbey Teku glass. You would too if you could.
Beer is brownish / red with a lazy off whtie head of small bubbles, no lacing, low retention, moderate carbonation. Looks fine.
Aroma is mildly funky mildly sweet. Interesting but a weak aroma. Oak and berries with hints of some odd spice. Smells good.
Beer is mildly sweet with a tartish finish. I'm not going to say it was sour, light in body, nice oak, red wine / fruit / vinous quality, a nice finish. This was surprisingly good. I'd even have it again.
★ 703 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Shared by Thorpe in our Veritas line-up, all 10 Veritas beers available at the time of this review. I expected this one to be horrible but instead I was pleasantly surprised. Beer served in a Lost Abbey Teku glass. You would too if you could.
Beer is brownish / red with a lazy off whtie head of small bubbles, no lacing, low retention, moderate carbonation. Looks fine.
Aroma is mildly funky mildly sweet. Interesting but a weak aroma. Oak and berries with hints of some odd spice. Smells good.
Beer is mildly sweet with a tartish finish. I'm not going to say it was sour, light in body, nice oak, red wine / fruit / vinous quality, a nice finish. This was surprisingly good. I'd even have it again.
★ 703 characters
4.47/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle at the DC Lambic & Sour Tasting on April 14, 2012 as part of a full Veritas set, 001-010. Served in a Lost Abbey Teku.
Pours a somewhat-cloudy amber-red color with a small off-white head that fades a bit quickly before falling to a collar and leaving a touch of lacing.
The nose has some red grapes alongside port notes plus some red wine and wood. Quite complex; way more than I was expecting here.
The flavor is equally as nice with a heavy-handed length on the palate. Moderate acidity accompanied by a medium amount of funk. Grape and red wine notes accompany that acidity, followed by just a bit of wood.
Body is light-medium with moderate, though certainly adequate, carbonation. Dry finish and lingering flavor.
Really nicely done and this was perhaps the surprise hit of the tasting for me, as I wasn't really expecting much but it really delivered.
★ 871 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle at the DC Lambic & Sour Tasting on April 14, 2012 as part of a full Veritas set, 001-010. Served in a Lost Abbey Teku.
Pours a somewhat-cloudy amber-red color with a small off-white head that fades a bit quickly before falling to a collar and leaving a touch of lacing.
The nose has some red grapes alongside port notes plus some red wine and wood. Quite complex; way more than I was expecting here.
The flavor is equally as nice with a heavy-handed length on the palate. Moderate acidity accompanied by a medium amount of funk. Grape and red wine notes accompany that acidity, followed by just a bit of wood.
Body is light-medium with moderate, though certainly adequate, carbonation. Dry finish and lingering flavor.
Really nicely done and this was perhaps the surprise hit of the tasting for me, as I wasn't really expecting much but it really delivered.
★ 871 characters
4.19/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Massive thanks to alen for this beauty.
Pours super cloudy brownish amber with a collection of big bubbles along the top that recedes immediately and leaves nothing around the top.
The aroma is all about the tart fruits, raspberries and cherries especially, dipped in brown sugar. There is also a prominant oak character in the nose as well as the brett and lactic sourness I've come to expect in the LA sours.
The taste is still all about the tart cherries, Cuvee de Tomme coming out for sure, but dipped in a bit of chocolate. The brett comes out in the finish, leaves a dry, earthy zing at the end of each sip.
The mouthfeel is what I expected, given the look. It's very low carbonation, almost wine-like, with a definite oaky tannin character overall.
This is a solid sour but probably not my favorite of the series. It's largely the look and mouthfeel that are lacking and keep this one from being a world class beer for me.
★ 934 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Massive thanks to alen for this beauty.
Pours super cloudy brownish amber with a collection of big bubbles along the top that recedes immediately and leaves nothing around the top.
The aroma is all about the tart fruits, raspberries and cherries especially, dipped in brown sugar. There is also a prominant oak character in the nose as well as the brett and lactic sourness I've come to expect in the LA sours.
The taste is still all about the tart cherries, Cuvee de Tomme coming out for sure, but dipped in a bit of chocolate. The brett comes out in the finish, leaves a dry, earthy zing at the end of each sip.
The mouthfeel is what I expected, given the look. It's very low carbonation, almost wine-like, with a definite oaky tannin character overall.
This is a solid sour but probably not my favorite of the series. It's largely the look and mouthfeel that are lacking and keep this one from being a world class beer for me.
★ 934 characters
3.83/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
What better beer for TICK #1001 than Veritas 001? None, I say! 750ml bottle very generously shared by dyan.
Pours a muddy, dirty reddish brown with minimal head. Does not look good at all.
The aroma is very nice with notes of Cuvee de Tomme, Red Poppy (i.e. cherries, funk, vinegar, wood), chocolate, -bal aging, and rarity.
The flavor is not quite as good. Some nice chocolate-covered cherry is in there, along with oak barrel and funk. Slightly acetic and not too sour.
Medium-bodied with sediment detectable on the palate and low carbonation (surprised?).
Good and interesting stuff, but I've had better from Lost Abbey. The best part about this one is the rarity.
★ 672 characters
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
What better beer for TICK #1001 than Veritas 001? None, I say! 750ml bottle very generously shared by dyan.
Pours a muddy, dirty reddish brown with minimal head. Does not look good at all.
The aroma is very nice with notes of Cuvee de Tomme, Red Poppy (i.e. cherries, funk, vinegar, wood), chocolate, -bal aging, and rarity.
The flavor is not quite as good. Some nice chocolate-covered cherry is in there, along with oak barrel and funk. Slightly acetic and not too sour.
Medium-bodied with sediment detectable on the palate and low carbonation (surprised?).
Good and interesting stuff, but I've had better from Lost Abbey. The best part about this one is the rarity.
★ 672 characters
4.01/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I shared this with a few guys the other day. Many thanks to Alen (RIP) for this rarity
Hazy murky brown flat no head or lace. This is rather ugly. Nose has cherries, acetic acid and bourbon. The cherry is beautiful, whole ripe tart cherries. Some vanilla, there's plenty of oak and tannins. A touch of chocolate? Brown sugar. Wonderful.
The palate is decent. Not very well integrated. Sour cherry juice with white wine grapes, vanilla, moderate brown sugar. Plenty of sweetness. Mildly flabby, the tannins and sweetness clash and don't tighten up the finish. Mild bourbon. Moderate acetic acid. Medium bodied with low carbonation, there's a long finish with vanilla and brown sugar. Solid stuff. Reminds me of the Sinners 2008 in some ways.
★ 742 characters
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I shared this with a few guys the other day. Many thanks to Alen (RIP) for this rarity
Hazy murky brown flat no head or lace. This is rather ugly. Nose has cherries, acetic acid and bourbon. The cherry is beautiful, whole ripe tart cherries. Some vanilla, there's plenty of oak and tannins. A touch of chocolate? Brown sugar. Wonderful.
The palate is decent. Not very well integrated. Sour cherry juice with white wine grapes, vanilla, moderate brown sugar. Plenty of sweetness. Mildly flabby, the tannins and sweetness clash and don't tighten up the finish. Mild bourbon. Moderate acetic acid. Medium bodied with low carbonation, there's a long finish with vanilla and brown sugar. Solid stuff. Reminds me of the Sinners 2008 in some ways.
★ 742 characters
3.89/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to Dyan for bringing this all the way out to California for us - I'd given up looking for this one as there wasn't really much out there to begin with. Served in a tulip glass.
A - A hard pour yields a thin layer of big bubbles to dissipate quickly to an incomplete ring. The body is a purplish maroon color and appears very murky. Looks like juice - should probably get a lower score, but I don't see the sense in punishing the beer any more.
S - Cherry sourness, funk, oak, some other overripe (or even rotten) fruits. As it warms it gets woodier and a bit astringent.
T - Taste is pretty similar - sour cherry,oak, funky rotting fruits. There's a fairly heft malt backbone that imparts some brown sugar. Finish is very woody, and somewhat odd.
M - Very, very, low carbonation, very tannic, with a medium-thick body. Verges on syrupy.
D - Despite its flaws it is strangely compelling. Perhaps it was the puzzle of trying to relate it to Lost Abbey beers I've had before that kept it interesting. Might have been fun to have a couple more ounces, but this was something of which I'd have a hard time drinking a lot.
I'm not sure of the veracity of the blend info posted on various sites, but it was quite believable that this was a blend of Cuvee de Tomme, Redstone Raspberry Mead and Older Viscosity (with significantly less of the last). Still, it felt more like an end of the night drunken blending experiment than the polished brews found later in the series - perhaps this was better when fresh and/or carbonated.
★ 1,532 characters
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to Dyan for bringing this all the way out to California for us - I'd given up looking for this one as there wasn't really much out there to begin with. Served in a tulip glass.
A - A hard pour yields a thin layer of big bubbles to dissipate quickly to an incomplete ring. The body is a purplish maroon color and appears very murky. Looks like juice - should probably get a lower score, but I don't see the sense in punishing the beer any more.
S - Cherry sourness, funk, oak, some other overripe (or even rotten) fruits. As it warms it gets woodier and a bit astringent.
T - Taste is pretty similar - sour cherry,oak, funky rotting fruits. There's a fairly heft malt backbone that imparts some brown sugar. Finish is very woody, and somewhat odd.
M - Very, very, low carbonation, very tannic, with a medium-thick body. Verges on syrupy.
D - Despite its flaws it is strangely compelling. Perhaps it was the puzzle of trying to relate it to Lost Abbey beers I've had before that kept it interesting. Might have been fun to have a couple more ounces, but this was something of which I'd have a hard time drinking a lot.
I'm not sure of the veracity of the blend info posted on various sites, but it was quite believable that this was a blend of Cuvee de Tomme, Redstone Raspberry Mead and Older Viscosity (with significantly less of the last). Still, it felt more like an end of the night drunken blending experiment than the polished brews found later in the series - perhaps this was better when fresh and/or carbonated.
★ 1,532 characters
3.73/5 rDev -11%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks, Dyan.
Murky, turbid, rust colored...no head. This looks pretty bad, 2/5 is being kind of generous.
Lots of tart cherry aroma, also some light acetic acid, raspberries, balsamic vinaigrette, a little dark sugar. Smells much better than it looks.
Tastes good too, plenty of tart cherry along with some oak, raisins, dark malts, a little acetic acid. Medium-bodied, pretty tasty but somewhat muddled. Some vinous notes toward the finish along with a hint of dark sugar. The combination of cherries and dark malt reminds me a whole lot of Cuvee de Tomme, but this beer isn't as refined. Carbonation is low, bordering on non-existent, to the beer's detriment. Good stuff, but not outstanding.
★ 698 characters
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks, Dyan.
Murky, turbid, rust colored...no head. This looks pretty bad, 2/5 is being kind of generous.
Lots of tart cherry aroma, also some light acetic acid, raspberries, balsamic vinaigrette, a little dark sugar. Smells much better than it looks.
Tastes good too, plenty of tart cherry along with some oak, raisins, dark malts, a little acetic acid. Medium-bodied, pretty tasty but somewhat muddled. Some vinous notes toward the finish along with a hint of dark sugar. The combination of cherries and dark malt reminds me a whole lot of Cuvee de Tomme, but this beer isn't as refined. Carbonation is low, bordering on non-existent, to the beer's detriment. Good stuff, but not outstanding.
★ 698 characters
4.47/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle shared by Grant - thanks! We looked it up and if I remember correctly it was 40% Red Poppy, 40% Cuvee de Tomme, and 20% Older Viscosity, although the last of the three was widely argued over.
Pours an attractive brownish-orange color with a half-finger off-white head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing.
Smells of tart cherries and raspberries with good amounts of oak and grainy dark malt aromas backing it all up.
Tastes very good, although different than it smells. Grainy caramel malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by tart cherries and currants. Midway through the sip the malt flavors darken a bit, with very light hints of roasted malts. The malt flavors fade before a solidly tart ending.
Mouthfeel is very good. It's got a nice thickness with grainy carbonation.
Drinkability is also good. I finished my glass very quickly and could easily have a few more.
Overall this was one of the more interesting sours I've had - the nose is very good but not terribly unique but the addition of Older Viscosity puts the flavor profile into special territory. Well worth a shot if you can find a bottle and thanks again to Grant for sharing this.
★ 1,203 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle shared by Grant - thanks! We looked it up and if I remember correctly it was 40% Red Poppy, 40% Cuvee de Tomme, and 20% Older Viscosity, although the last of the three was widely argued over.
Pours an attractive brownish-orange color with a half-finger off-white head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing.
Smells of tart cherries and raspberries with good amounts of oak and grainy dark malt aromas backing it all up.
Tastes very good, although different than it smells. Grainy caramel malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by tart cherries and currants. Midway through the sip the malt flavors darken a bit, with very light hints of roasted malts. The malt flavors fade before a solidly tart ending.
Mouthfeel is very good. It's got a nice thickness with grainy carbonation.
Drinkability is also good. I finished my glass very quickly and could easily have a few more.
Overall this was one of the more interesting sours I've had - the nose is very good but not terribly unique but the addition of Older Viscosity puts the flavor profile into special territory. Well worth a shot if you can find a bottle and thanks again to Grant for sharing this.
★ 1,203 characters
3.99/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Wow thanks a ton for sharing this one Greg! Definitely one that I wouldn't have tried otherwise.
Pours really murky.. kind of a rubyish brown with some burnt orange mixed in at the edges, no head at all, but the cork required pliers to be removed...hmmm. A few bottles, but this is essentially pond water.
Definitely a good amount of cuvee de tomme in here... cherries are prominent. A little dirty spice. Kind of a slick taste from the lack of carbonation... a little muddled. Like a confused teenager. Cherry tartness with some other dark fruits (raisin from the cdt) mixed in. Woody and some residual sugar. Good tartness with a restrained spice character... it kind of comes across dirty and muddled with all the fruit that is here from the cdt and red poppy (assuming), and flatness doesn't help. Some red wine vinegar. Alcohol is well integrated. Glad to have had the chance but this one seems to be going downhill.
★ 925 characters
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Wow thanks a ton for sharing this one Greg! Definitely one that I wouldn't have tried otherwise.
Pours really murky.. kind of a rubyish brown with some burnt orange mixed in at the edges, no head at all, but the cork required pliers to be removed...hmmm. A few bottles, but this is essentially pond water.
Definitely a good amount of cuvee de tomme in here... cherries are prominent. A little dirty spice. Kind of a slick taste from the lack of carbonation... a little muddled. Like a confused teenager. Cherry tartness with some other dark fruits (raisin from the cdt) mixed in. Woody and some residual sugar. Good tartness with a restrained spice character... it kind of comes across dirty and muddled with all the fruit that is here from the cdt and red poppy (assuming), and flatness doesn't help. Some red wine vinegar. Alcohol is well integrated. Glad to have had the chance but this one seems to be going downhill.
★ 925 characters
4.47/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Consumed on 11/15/2009 at O'Brien's Lost Abbey rare bottle tasting amidst a Veritas 001-006 vertical at the tail end of the first San Diego Beer Week. This beer was supposedly bottled in November of 2006, so that would make it roughly three years old. The beer is dark crimson in my glass. The head is small, fizzy, and bubbly. It's dark in the room so it's hard to expound on the appearance.
The nose opens up moderately tannic with wood notes. Dark fruits are present in the form of plums, dark ripe red grapes, and cherries. The aroma is vinous, with notes of vinegar and a decided sugar character to it. The cherry really shines through.
The flavor opens up with tart dark fruits, a low lactic quality, and mild acetic notes. The fruit character is reminiscent of plums, cherries, and dark grapes. The sweetness is sugary and at a low level. This beer has held up remarkably. As the beer warms, I notice a whisper of chocolate. As in the nose, the cherry is the highlight of the flavor but it doesn't dominate the other fruits. The finish is dark fruits with a drying tannic quality. Cherry lingers...
The beer has low carbonation with a smooth mouthfeel. Excellent!
★ 1,173 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Consumed on 11/15/2009 at O'Brien's Lost Abbey rare bottle tasting amidst a Veritas 001-006 vertical at the tail end of the first San Diego Beer Week. This beer was supposedly bottled in November of 2006, so that would make it roughly three years old. The beer is dark crimson in my glass. The head is small, fizzy, and bubbly. It's dark in the room so it's hard to expound on the appearance.
The nose opens up moderately tannic with wood notes. Dark fruits are present in the form of plums, dark ripe red grapes, and cherries. The aroma is vinous, with notes of vinegar and a decided sugar character to it. The cherry really shines through.
The flavor opens up with tart dark fruits, a low lactic quality, and mild acetic notes. The fruit character is reminiscent of plums, cherries, and dark grapes. The sweetness is sugary and at a low level. This beer has held up remarkably. As the beer warms, I notice a whisper of chocolate. As in the nose, the cherry is the highlight of the flavor but it doesn't dominate the other fruits. The finish is dark fruits with a drying tannic quality. Cherry lingers...
The beer has low carbonation with a smooth mouthfeel. Excellent!
★ 1,173 characters
3.39/5 rDev -19.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
finally entering notes after a year...
From Tomme: "A blend of 3 seperate oak aged beers with cherry beer. Cuvee is a component"
pours bright red with no head. very litle carbonation.
aroma is dominated by pungent oak. dark fruit. Hops are undetectible.
sour cherry upfront and arrogant. medicinal notes. soft sourness. tannins present. viscuous and lucious. very warming.
for a sour blend, the cherry overpowers the complexity hidden beneath. It would be nice to sit on this beer for a few years and let the cherry fade a bit.
★ 532 characters
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
finally entering notes after a year...
From Tomme: "A blend of 3 seperate oak aged beers with cherry beer. Cuvee is a component"
pours bright red with no head. very litle carbonation.
aroma is dominated by pungent oak. dark fruit. Hops are undetectible.
sour cherry upfront and arrogant. medicinal notes. soft sourness. tannins present. viscuous and lucious. very warming.
for a sour blend, the cherry overpowers the complexity hidden beneath. It would be nice to sit on this beer for a few years and let the cherry fade a bit.
★ 532 characters
4.8/5 rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Very lucky to try this extremely limited brew.
Appearance: Dark mahagony ruby brown, but not opaque. I got a very mild pop and hardly any carbonation. Could be the way these were bottled (individually by purchaser).
Smell: Black Cherry, brown sugar, tart cherry, raspberry, blackberry, vinegar, oak, malt, grapes, bit of sweet molasses (not blackstrap)
Taste: Black Cherry, brown sugar, tart cherry, raspberry, blackberry. Tastes like a blend of cuvee de tomme and red poppy. A nice funk, although perhaps a bit more sweetness than I would like. Very wine like. Not a hint of alcohol. Bit of a port/brandy character to it.
Mouthfeel: Mine is a bit flat, very full mouthfeel although perhaps a bit syrupy.
Drinkability: Where did it go?
Best BSDA I have ever had, hands down. Drink soon, I would guess it is at the peak or a bit past it. Struggling with the score, if not for the lack of carbonation it might be a perfect 5, but it is probably lacking due to age/bottling method (scores of other reviewers say great carbonation). Only bad thing about this one is that I will never get to enjoy it again.
★ 1,108 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Very lucky to try this extremely limited brew.
Appearance: Dark mahagony ruby brown, but not opaque. I got a very mild pop and hardly any carbonation. Could be the way these were bottled (individually by purchaser).
Smell: Black Cherry, brown sugar, tart cherry, raspberry, blackberry, vinegar, oak, malt, grapes, bit of sweet molasses (not blackstrap)
Taste: Black Cherry, brown sugar, tart cherry, raspberry, blackberry. Tastes like a blend of cuvee de tomme and red poppy. A nice funk, although perhaps a bit more sweetness than I would like. Very wine like. Not a hint of alcohol. Bit of a port/brandy character to it.
Mouthfeel: Mine is a bit flat, very full mouthfeel although perhaps a bit syrupy.
Drinkability: Where did it go?
Best BSDA I have ever had, hands down. Drink soon, I would guess it is at the peak or a bit past it. Struggling with the score, if not for the lack of carbonation it might be a perfect 5, but it is probably lacking due to age/bottling method (scores of other reviewers say great carbonation). Only bad thing about this one is that I will never get to enjoy it again.
★ 1,108 characters
4.1/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bottle. Sea O'Floydster epic tasting, post PP Belgian Fest. Thanks Julian for bringing this bottle.
Apple, cider, cinnamon (this was likened appropriately to cinnamon apple pie)..fruity notes. A bit of funk and a bit of vinous qualities.
High carbonation and light on the tongue.
Interesting, not what I was expecting, but also not overly impressed, especially given the rarity.
Still have my bottle of this, but I am thinking I should probably open this in the next 6 months or so as I don't see it improving (excluding the possibility that 5-10 years works some miracles...hey, you never know).
★ 600 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bottle. Sea O'Floydster epic tasting, post PP Belgian Fest. Thanks Julian for bringing this bottle.
Apple, cider, cinnamon (this was likened appropriately to cinnamon apple pie)..fruity notes. A bit of funk and a bit of vinous qualities.
High carbonation and light on the tongue.
Interesting, not what I was expecting, but also not overly impressed, especially given the rarity.
Still have my bottle of this, but I am thinking I should probably open this in the next 6 months or so as I don't see it improving (excluding the possibility that 5-10 years works some miracles...hey, you never know).
★ 600 characters
4.1/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
750 ml bottle brought to the SeaO'Floydster tasting by SacoDeToro, thanks for the opportunity Julian, one of our first beers of the night, poured into my Stone sampling glass
A-Reddish brown color, 1/2 inch thin off white bubbly head, not much retention, no lacing, mild legs
S-Lot of cherries, vinegar, grapes, cinnamon, sweet malts, red apples, mild tart, oak, and toasted bread
T-Starts off with a red wine-like flavor, cherries in the middle, mix of Red Poppy and Cuvee de Tomme almost, finish is slightly tart but also some spice in there, later on more fruit comes out and it gets sweeter, wish this had some more sourness in the blend
M-Slightly tart, sweet, and spicy mouthfeel, medium bodied, way too much carbonation, biggest problem with this beer, taste lasts a good amount of time
D-Could have a drank a lot of this, alcohol is hidden well, nice sour bite but too sweet sometimes, light overall somehow but unfortunately that showed through in the mouthfeel as well
My least favorite of the Veritas series, they actually seem to be getting better with each release, glad to have tried this interesting blend, do not see this improving with any more age though, still recommended
★ 1,193 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
750 ml bottle brought to the SeaO'Floydster tasting by SacoDeToro, thanks for the opportunity Julian, one of our first beers of the night, poured into my Stone sampling glass
A-Reddish brown color, 1/2 inch thin off white bubbly head, not much retention, no lacing, mild legs
S-Lot of cherries, vinegar, grapes, cinnamon, sweet malts, red apples, mild tart, oak, and toasted bread
T-Starts off with a red wine-like flavor, cherries in the middle, mix of Red Poppy and Cuvee de Tomme almost, finish is slightly tart but also some spice in there, later on more fruit comes out and it gets sweeter, wish this had some more sourness in the blend
M-Slightly tart, sweet, and spicy mouthfeel, medium bodied, way too much carbonation, biggest problem with this beer, taste lasts a good amount of time
D-Could have a drank a lot of this, alcohol is hidden well, nice sour bite but too sweet sometimes, light overall somehow but unfortunately that showed through in the mouthfeel as well
My least favorite of the Veritas series, they actually seem to be getting better with each release, glad to have tried this interesting blend, do not see this improving with any more age though, still recommended
★ 1,193 characters
4.9/5 rDev +16.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Thanks Julian for bringing this in to share.Had this in Carlsbad at the Pizza Port Belgianfest after fest tasting with floydster and seaoflament and rallison. Wow this beer was so carboniated and had a seltzer tingle on your tongue when you drank it. I would say champange or austi spumanti.Flavors of sweet Cinnamon applesauce like Motts. Alcohol was vertually non present for 8 percent.This was a very surprising incredible flavor that was a real treat.One of the better beer I have ever had. Carbonation was over the top and was a true gusher when it was opened. Thanks again for the share and the chance to enjoy this true treat of a beer!
★ 643 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Thanks Julian for bringing this in to share.Had this in Carlsbad at the Pizza Port Belgianfest after fest tasting with floydster and seaoflament and rallison. Wow this beer was so carboniated and had a seltzer tingle on your tongue when you drank it. I would say champange or austi spumanti.Flavors of sweet Cinnamon applesauce like Motts. Alcohol was vertually non present for 8 percent.This was a very surprising incredible flavor that was a real treat.One of the better beer I have ever had. Carbonation was over the top and was a true gusher when it was opened. Thanks again for the share and the chance to enjoy this true treat of a beer!
★ 643 characters
3.83/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Julian for contributing and sharing this beer at the SeaofFloydster Tasting on March 28th...I never thought I would get to try this beer.
Wow, quick someone give me your glass! We have a gusher! The first pour I got mostly foam and had to wait a few moments to actually see the color of the beer and pour myself a little more. Ok, after a second pour I can see the hazy dark orange color of the beer itself. A massive amount of head and some soapy retention and lacing.
The first aroma I picked up was a mixture of berries (cherries mostly with some cranberry and raspberry), then a slight metallic aroma in the background that wasn't too appealing. Light funk and tartness throughout with hints of grapes and a bit of apples. Not bad, very interesting.
Tasted like liquid, cherry flavored, sweet-tarts. The second half of the beer had some sweet apples and finished with a toasted malt sweetness. Good but not amazing, it was commented that this one might be going downhill already.
Medium-low carbonation on the palate, not as carbonated on the palate as the pour suggested, a tad syrupy.
★ 1,104 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Julian for contributing and sharing this beer at the SeaofFloydster Tasting on March 28th...I never thought I would get to try this beer.
Wow, quick someone give me your glass! We have a gusher! The first pour I got mostly foam and had to wait a few moments to actually see the color of the beer and pour myself a little more. Ok, after a second pour I can see the hazy dark orange color of the beer itself. A massive amount of head and some soapy retention and lacing.
The first aroma I picked up was a mixture of berries (cherries mostly with some cranberry and raspberry), then a slight metallic aroma in the background that wasn't too appealing. Light funk and tartness throughout with hints of grapes and a bit of apples. Not bad, very interesting.
Tasted like liquid, cherry flavored, sweet-tarts. The second half of the beer had some sweet apples and finished with a toasted malt sweetness. Good but not amazing, it was commented that this one might be going downhill already.
Medium-low carbonation on the palate, not as carbonated on the palate as the pour suggested, a tad syrupy.
★ 1,104 characters
4.75/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
This one was provided by the bad ass mo fo' known as ibrew2or3.
A: Pours a beautiful amber hue with tones of orange showing thru. Very tiny head which goes with the style along with no lace.
S: Wonderful muted sour aromas, nothing overthetop. Hints of crushed sweet tart, sour black cherries, oak and vanilla. The aromas blend together so nicely.
T: Wonderful light malt flavors. Bold fresh black cherry juice that starts a bit sweet before being overtaken by sour. Nice blast of oak and vanilla really smooth things out. Like the aromas the flavors seem to meld perfectly making this extra tasty.
M: Medium in body, very smooth with a perfectly dry finish.
D: Soo drinkable, wonderful flavors combined with the subtle sourness make this one dangerously drinkable. Too bad it was one of the last bottles on eart.
Thanks Dave for knocking it out of the park once again, the Tampa crew is indebted to you for this one.
★ 922 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
This one was provided by the bad ass mo fo' known as ibrew2or3.
A: Pours a beautiful amber hue with tones of orange showing thru. Very tiny head which goes with the style along with no lace.
S: Wonderful muted sour aromas, nothing overthetop. Hints of crushed sweet tart, sour black cherries, oak and vanilla. The aromas blend together so nicely.
T: Wonderful light malt flavors. Bold fresh black cherry juice that starts a bit sweet before being overtaken by sour. Nice blast of oak and vanilla really smooth things out. Like the aromas the flavors seem to meld perfectly making this extra tasty.
M: Medium in body, very smooth with a perfectly dry finish.
D: Soo drinkable, wonderful flavors combined with the subtle sourness make this one dangerously drinkable. Too bad it was one of the last bottles on eart.
Thanks Dave for knocking it out of the park once again, the Tampa crew is indebted to you for this one.
★ 922 characters
4.3/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A hand-bottled 750 mL bottle courtesy of Spacecoyote, marked at Batch 01 bottle 000.
A: The ale is a dark woody brown color, hazy and yeasty with a tan head that had ruby hints. Lots of carbonation is visible streaming in the glass.
S: The aroma is tart, thick with funky notes of pepper, black cherry and dry honey. The aroma has a lot going on.
T: Cherries from the Cuvee de Tomme lead the way, dark and sweet with a sour apple butter undertone. Lots and lots of funk matches the cherry profile, sour with some pepper and green apple essence. Sour flavors fo the Rodenbach variety add an acetic flavor that turns to apple butter in the best tradition of Rodenbach. The tartness bites throughout, leaving a funky flavor to sit on the palate.
M: The mead in the blend leads to a dry mouthfeel that accentuates the funky tartness. Let the ale sit on your tongue and enjoy.
D: The high alcohol is well hidden amongst the myriad flavors, an impressive ode to the glory of blending and infecting beer.
★ 1,003 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A hand-bottled 750 mL bottle courtesy of Spacecoyote, marked at Batch 01 bottle 000.
A: The ale is a dark woody brown color, hazy and yeasty with a tan head that had ruby hints. Lots of carbonation is visible streaming in the glass.
S: The aroma is tart, thick with funky notes of pepper, black cherry and dry honey. The aroma has a lot going on.
T: Cherries from the Cuvee de Tomme lead the way, dark and sweet with a sour apple butter undertone. Lots and lots of funk matches the cherry profile, sour with some pepper and green apple essence. Sour flavors fo the Rodenbach variety add an acetic flavor that turns to apple butter in the best tradition of Rodenbach. The tartness bites throughout, leaving a funky flavor to sit on the palate.
M: The mead in the blend leads to a dry mouthfeel that accentuates the funky tartness. Let the ale sit on your tongue and enjoy.
D: The high alcohol is well hidden amongst the myriad flavors, an impressive ode to the glory of blending and infecting beer.
★ 1,003 characters
4.24/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Hand bottled by yours truly during the Lost Abbey first annual barrel tasting party in August '07.
A- Reddish dark brown, a clear, dark liquid. No head at all.
S- Fruit, some cherry.
T- Sweet, finishes moderately sour. Has a light, yet sweet malt backing to this.
M- Pretty thin. More than you would think. Actually wrote "watery" down in my notes. The carbonation in this was very light, it could have benefited from a little more.
D- really good smelling and tasting beer. Would have liked it more with a higher carbonation level. I think that would have made it more interesting.
★ 589 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Hand bottled by yours truly during the Lost Abbey first annual barrel tasting party in August '07.
A- Reddish dark brown, a clear, dark liquid. No head at all.
S- Fruit, some cherry.
T- Sweet, finishes moderately sour. Has a light, yet sweet malt backing to this.
M- Pretty thin. More than you would think. Actually wrote "watery" down in my notes. The carbonation in this was very light, it could have benefited from a little more.
D- really good smelling and tasting beer. Would have liked it more with a higher carbonation level. I think that would have made it more interesting.
★ 589 characters
4.82/5 rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Attending the Big Beer, Barleywine & Belgian festival in Vail, Tomme Arthur was suppose to do a talk on wild ales but instead brought out all three veritas as they had some available from the dinner the night before. Going off notes here. The pour was ruby brown color with definitely more of a red tinge then the other two. Not much for carbonation but ok.
The nose had a Flanders Red feel to it with noticeable fruit characteristics, mostly cherries. Think Deschese but more complexity, fruitier and bigger. He went on to explain that this was a blend of two beers and a mead as described on another review. There was some complexity in the malt characteristic though with some esters and alcohol notes.
The taste was complex with malty undertones and a dry/acidic but fruity finish. The malt has more of a barleywine taste with its complexity. Some descriptors I noted were deep caramel, molasses, sweetness and vinous. The solvent characters add to the complexity as you can tell that it has aged well. There were some perceivable wood flavors with winey characteristics (almost wish I knew wines better). The fruitiness leaves a tart finish that is sweet with a nice cherry and dark grape taste.
The body is closer to a Dark Strong Ale with a complexity malt bill and an acidic finish. The cherries give a sweeter finish than what is perceived. Overall this is a fantastic beer. Of the three, this was my second favorite falling just short of the Vertias 002 but an excellent beer.
★ 1,489 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Attending the Big Beer, Barleywine & Belgian festival in Vail, Tomme Arthur was suppose to do a talk on wild ales but instead brought out all three veritas as they had some available from the dinner the night before. Going off notes here. The pour was ruby brown color with definitely more of a red tinge then the other two. Not much for carbonation but ok.
The nose had a Flanders Red feel to it with noticeable fruit characteristics, mostly cherries. Think Deschese but more complexity, fruitier and bigger. He went on to explain that this was a blend of two beers and a mead as described on another review. There was some complexity in the malt characteristic though with some esters and alcohol notes.
The taste was complex with malty undertones and a dry/acidic but fruity finish. The malt has more of a barleywine taste with its complexity. Some descriptors I noted were deep caramel, molasses, sweetness and vinous. The solvent characters add to the complexity as you can tell that it has aged well. There were some perceivable wood flavors with winey characteristics (almost wish I knew wines better). The fruitiness leaves a tart finish that is sweet with a nice cherry and dark grape taste.
The body is closer to a Dark Strong Ale with a complexity malt bill and an acidic finish. The cherries give a sweeter finish than what is perceived. Overall this is a fantastic beer. Of the three, this was my second favorite falling just short of the Vertias 002 but an excellent beer.
★ 1,489 characters
4.48/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
This is an absolutely terrific blended beer. Sampled two serving in the Blended beers seminar at the State College Microbrew Expo. John Hansell (of Malt Advocate led the seminar). He explained that this is a limited creation by Tomme Aurthor (of Lost Abbey/Port Brewing) and he was able to secure a keg of this blend for this seminar. The blend is this: 1/5 Old Viscosity, 2/5 Cuvée De Tomme (a sour Belgian), and 2/5 Redstone Meadery, "Redstone Black Raspberry Nectar", a sweet / tart mead. What a beautiful blend and who would have thought it'd work so well. It is most certainly unique but with some Flemish Red Ale attributes. It is served a dark brown color and has sour acidic aroma. Cherries blackberry, dark grapes and woodiness comes through in the nose. The flavors follow. Difficult to distinguish all that is going on in this complex brew. Mouthfeel is acidic and tart but rich with a sweet coating left on the cheeks. Drinkability, I am a huge fan. I think this is a real winner. I hope it will become available.
Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!
★ 1,061 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
This is an absolutely terrific blended beer. Sampled two serving in the Blended beers seminar at the State College Microbrew Expo. John Hansell (of Malt Advocate led the seminar). He explained that this is a limited creation by Tomme Aurthor (of Lost Abbey/Port Brewing) and he was able to secure a keg of this blend for this seminar. The blend is this: 1/5 Old Viscosity, 2/5 Cuvée De Tomme (a sour Belgian), and 2/5 Redstone Meadery, "Redstone Black Raspberry Nectar", a sweet / tart mead. What a beautiful blend and who would have thought it'd work so well. It is most certainly unique but with some Flemish Red Ale attributes. It is served a dark brown color and has sour acidic aroma. Cherries blackberry, dark grapes and woodiness comes through in the nose. The flavors follow. Difficult to distinguish all that is going on in this complex brew. Mouthfeel is acidic and tart but rich with a sweet coating left on the cheeks. Drinkability, I am a huge fan. I think this is a real winner. I hope it will become available.
Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!
★ 1,061 characters
Veritas 001 from The Lost Abbey
4.19
out of 5
based on 45 ratings.
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to GRG1313 for sharing this one at his tasting.
Pours a hazy crimson red with a foamy bone head that fades to nothing. No lacing on the drink down. Smell is sour with malt, grain, earth, wood, and acidic aromas. Taste is much the same with sour malt, fruit, funk, and wood flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of acidity on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is still quite tasty even with being pretty old at this point.
Serving type: bottle.
★ 563 characters