Le Terroir
New Belgium Brewing Company

 

Amber, with a medium-sized, white head. Lemon, herbs, lactose, and some stone fruits in the aroma. Moderate sourness in taste, Notes of wood in aftertaste.

 

 

 

 

(375 ml cork/cage bottle, 6% abv, 61504:28 220818K11T, dry-hopped with Amarillo and Idaho 7; purchased off shelf at Beer Peddlers yesterday... decanted into a teku)

L: clear, sunbeam-yellow hued liquid; near two-finger high cottony white foam builds on the pour and gracefully recedes into a tight, steady cap... as the sips ebb and flow, some thin, frosty bands of lace stick

S: exquisite blend of diaper funk and fresh flower arrangements, hints of fruity marshmallow and peach skin; white wine and berry notes emerge as the foam falls... I could sniff this for days... by the end, before first sip, a peach yogurt scent takes hold

T: considering the aroma journey, I wasn't expecting quite this dry of a base... following a pithy, floral, vinous first contact, peach yogurt briefly flashes, passing with a tart tail, finishing with the fruity essences panning out to the sides of the palate, ultimately leaving a lightly-crackery aftertaste which gradually gets more mineral and leafy, the center opening up and airing out, exposing a lasting spectre of the funky barrel/woody character... that's just the first, palate-attuning sip... second sip on, its delicate notes of fruity breakfast cereal dancing atop outdoorsy, wet-meadow earthiness and a lightly acidic, lightly nutty-yeasty foreground... dry as a mf... I hesitate to say it slightly reminds me of a gueuze, but, it does

F: what can I say?... it coats and caresses my palate with the sultry mist of a summer fling... soft, rosy warmth stoked at the back of the palate... dry, swift, moist feathery-light; on point, effortless

O: again, I hesitate to say... but I believe I enjoyed this more than any RR bottles I've had over the years, which inevitably is going to now make me go back and try a bunch of them... the hop choices here seem astute, but it's a bit difficult to sort out the origin (hops or bugs) of the subtle nuances... my first Le Terroir; good stuff, and it won't be the last (2154)

 

 

 

 

 

Look - clear copper with non stop bubbles with a nice last white head with a really thick rimming and great lacing
Smell - earthy tart lemon orange
Taste - tart but not overly tart with a citrus lemon orange and still a slight grainy earthy slight floral
Feel - creamy medium full body with a very light carb
Overall - really tasty beer
Overall - really tasty even after being aged

 

 

 

This is a superb beer. Probably the best beer I've ever drank. The balance is perfect with superb complexity and depth. The initial sour notes fade to a rich full sweet centre finishing clean and sour

Deep amber with white film; lemon zest and jasmine nose; lemon sorbet, chalk, cheese rind, tangerine comeback; dry + clean.

4 4.25 4.25 4 4.5

Best match of citrusy sourness + citrussy hops ever. Bright + clean. So sessionable. MOAR!