Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru (Aged in Sangiovese Chianti Barrels)
BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes)

Reddish opaque brown body with a beige head. Nose has more hay and must than the original, really plays well with the oak and various tart fruits. Taste has strawberry, balsamic vinegar, and earthy editions, the vinous notes are very mellow, oak is deep though, still the base flavors, especially the fruit and dark grains translate through powerfully. Feel is more musty and less sour than the original, which isn't saying too much admittedly, darker in complexion. still holistically smooth and full with a tart finish. Like this rustic yet fruity leaning variant a lot

Most people know about the Chianti wine from the popular Silence of the Lambs quote, but the brewery of BFM is hoping to change all that with one single beer. Its a strong and sour lambic-like ale with a strong wine contingent from extended age in the popular San Giovese used barrels.

Aptly named Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru (San Giovese), the winey ale pours with the slightest bubbly release upon a rusty and a foggy reddish brown hue. With a pass of the nose, the jaws tighten and the nose tingles with dark fruit, vinous sourness, peppery spice, leather, boozy heat and an overall acetone sense of intimidation. Light on sweetness but big on savory flavor, the first sip is chocked full of dehydrated and pitted fruits, dry jam, steely caramel and a hint of mocha.

As the tastebuds slowly accommodates the bracing sourness that taunts the middle palate, a sense of juiciness pulls from impressions of dark cherry, fig, date, currant and raisin in a strong sherry-like way. Hints of port, madeira and red wine give the taste a strong vinous identity with impressions of cider, grappa and balsamic adding power and curiosity. A late taste of tobacco and peppery spice carry an oaken quality as a low-lying bitterness comes across tannic-like in balance.

Medium bodied and quickly trending dry, leathery and dusty, the beer is boastful with its acidity while finishing peppery, savory and dry with a brief echo of cherry, grape and vinyl in aftertaste.

Brewed in 2018, bottled in 2020, and imbibed in 2021

L: Pours a burgundy red color with a medium haze. A gentle pour results in a small off white head that immediately dissipates to a sub-mm ring around the circumference of the glass. As the beer goes down it leaves almost no lacing on the glass.

S: Chianti barrel character, cherries, strawberries, very light notes of raisin, a bit of plum, and a bit of earthy tea-like funk mixing with funky oak.

T: I get chianti barrel character, oaky funk, a bit of vinegar, light notes of dark earthy tea, cherry, light notes of raisin, light notes of plum, light notes of strawberry, and a light sour acidity lending itself to a good tannic quality on the backend and finish.

F: Medium-full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel has a vinous, tannic quality that really grips the palate with a nice dry finish.

O: This is an excellent variation on a theme by BFM. Not as vinegary as the base beer with a distinctive barrel character that adds some nice dark earth and tea notes to the base beer. Highly recommended!