Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird)
De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)

Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird)Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird)
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From:
De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)
 
Belgium
Style:
Brett Beer
Ranked #24
ABV:
9%
Score:
88
Ranked #14,530
Avg:
3.92 | pDev: 13.01%
Reviews:
113
Ratings:
269
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 09, 2022
Added:
Jun 14, 2005
Wants:
  15
Gots:
  18
No description / notes.
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Ratings by BeerCon5:
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Rated by BeerCon5 from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

Feb 16, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

3.92/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a very large foamy airy 3+ finger head with med retention, rocky, spotty lacing, semi hazy amber to orange color

Nose big earthy funk, Brett barnyard funk, wet hay, grassy, light fruity notes and acidity, doughy wheat grain malt notes, bright but mild fruit, apricot, stone fruit, a touch of citrus

Taste starts with more of the Brett funk up front, barnyard and a little horse blanket, a bit of tart funk and cheesy funk with light acidity, grassy, wet hay, a bit of doughy malt and wheat, grist like, mild fruity esters with some apricot, pear, light grassy hop bitterness, a bit of sweet stickiness, but drier on the finish, lingering mild bitterness

Mouth is med bod, a faint warming alcohol, high effervescent carb that keeps slowly rising out of the bottle

Overall a decent funky farmhouse style beer, hard to give it a real category but unique and tasty nonetheless
Oct 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4.25 by bigred89 from Maryland

Apr 03, 2022
 
Rated: 3.36 by Chico1985 from Massachusetts

May 08, 2020
Photo of jrc1093
Reviewed by jrc1093 from Connecticut

3.71/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
No bottling date visible (cap stamped ‘14421606’)

Pours a lightly clouded deep golden body with a towering, rocky head of fluffy, off-white foam; excellent retention fades steadily to thin soapy lacing spread around the glass.

Aromas of pineapple and citric funk balance with yeast alongside touches of brine and hay; additionally, there’s an underlying clove sweetness and musty banana peel depth; fresh and bright.

Taste brings out a bit of damp cellar and bitter herbs, while undertones of banana, clove, and yeasty funk build throughout and linger thoroughly through the finish.

Mouthfeel shows an airy medium body with a hefty fluff of carbonation; a moderate alcohol presence builds steadily over the mid-palate to a drying dulled bitterness spread through a thinning finish.

Plenty of funk and yeast play well here, but are thrown off just a bit by an untamed booziness; nonetheless, this is still fresh on the palate, and drinks enjoyably considering its ABV.
Aug 26, 2019
 
Rated: 4.05 by gehille from Pennsylvania

Jan 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.94 by Luscious_Malfoy from Illinois

Oct 20, 2018
 
Rated: 3.78 by BeerAndFilm from Oregon

Jul 28, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

Feb 14, 2018
 
Rated: 4.14 by VAcrossr from Virginia

Jan 10, 2018
 
Rated: 4.48 by TinFang from California

Dec 31, 2017
 
Rated: 4.41 by bhawk1 from Georgia

Oct 01, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by MHJeff06 from Nebraska

May 20, 2017
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
I shy away from wilds. I fear for getting a sour one that I will have to drink by myself.
But Surly Bird teaches me to be less afraid of wilds as they also can be dry and let malt sweetness in.
This is only my 6th from de Proef, so I'm not going to pass judgment... but this is an interesting ale and, apparently, an even more interesting yeast that keeps giving me these indescribable flavors. So while I will stifle sweeping judgments on de Proef, I'll try to rate Surly Bird.

Looks like a pleasant blonde. Foam hangs around.
Smells intriguing... with yeast indicating it will control (and balance) what goes on.
Tastes like what a great yeast should do: balance malts with spices and let them come and go and let new flavors pop in and out.. Feel eventually gets too dry, overpowers the good impression the ale made.
The solution: have the rest of the bottle with food. And I did. Finish Surly Bird with food.
May 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by dukeufo from California

Apr 11, 2017
 
Rated: 4.61 by ssato27 from Pennsylvania

Apr 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.98 by NWHopinator from Oregon

Mar 18, 2017
 
Rated: 3.84 by shelby415 from Oregon

Jan 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by jbaker67 from Pennsylvania

Jul 18, 2016
 
Rated: 4.12 by JakerLou from New Hampshire

Jun 24, 2016
Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird) from De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 269 ratings