Cuvee Rose
Boom Island Brewing Company

 

i had super high hopes for this latest offering from these guys, but was really let down. i have been talking them up as one of the best on the local scene in the twin cities for a long time, even since i had that oude funk they did, but this one really disappointed me. it sounds so promising, a strong belgian pale brewed with pinot grigio and cab sauv grapes, fermented with champagne yeast, what could go wrong? well, it turns out a lot. for one, despite its pretty rose pink color, the beer is totally flat from the tap at the brewery, really unappealing and unflattering in a belgian beer, especially a strong one like this. the aroma is nice, the grapes smell natural and equally mixed, while the yeast seems both belgian and sort of wild, a little tart and funky, slightly medicinal, but also fruity and classic too. the flavor is weird, it comes in waves, first the grapes which taste here to me more like rose wine than the actual grapes, maybe a product of the champagne yeast working on them, then its this weird almost sour bacterial yeast complexion before the belgian one, some candy sweetness, a lot of alcohol, and some lightly chemical off flavor that i cant quite place. i keep dipping back into this one, smaller sips each time, trying to like it, tying to find a side i enjoy, or at least something unique that interests me, but the whole thing is really lacking, offputting even. not sure what went wrong here, it sounds so good on paper. points only for ambition here, this seems woefully amateur after a whole slew of awesome boom island beers, and the total stillness of the brew doesnt help at all. majorly weak offering for a brewery that had really earned my respect and admiration before this. hopefully not a sign of things to come...