Confluence Ale
Allagash Brewing Company

Confluence AleConfluence Ale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Allagash Brewing Company
 
Maine, United States
Style:
Brett Beer
Ranked #18
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
90
Ranked #8,723
Avg:
4.04 | pDev: 9.65%
Reviews:
267
Ratings:
958
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 05, 2022
Added:
Jan 14, 2009
Wants:
  134
Gots:
  209
Allagash Confluence Ale is created with a mixed fermentation; utilizing our house primary Belgian style yeast in combination with our proprietary Brettanomyces strain. The two yeast strains work in tandem creating a marriage between spice and fruit flavors that ultimately leave a lingering silky mouth feel. Confluence is brewed with a blend of both imported pilsner and domestic pale malts as well as a portion of caramel malt, resulting in a complex malty profile. Tettnang and East Kent Golding hops are added in the brew process to balance the intricate malty profile while adding a sweet and spicy citrus aroma. After fermentation, Confluence undergoes a lengthy aging process in stainless steel tanks to enhance the flavors. Prior to bottling, it is dry hopped with a Glacier hops, providing a pleasant balance of aromas.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ColForbinBC:
Photo of ColForbinBC
Reviewed by ColForbinBC from New Jersey

3.99/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
750mL bomber poured into a flute; March 2011 bottling

An extremely soft golden straw color with streams of tiny bubbles pushing north to a huge, meringue-like cap. Excellent retention and loads of sticky lace.

The aroma is of soft peaches, slightly tart lemons, apricots and even some pineapple and granny smith apples. At first, I thought the funk was a little light, but as this guy warmed, some band-aid aromas came out.

I still can't get over the thickness of this head. A giant ring of foam is stuck across the top of my glass. It looks awesome.

Tart lemons and granny smith apples come to forefront, with sweet pineapple and peach quickly in tow. Some acidic notes through the middle before a rush of saddle leather funk and dryness. The funk just sweeps in and leaves your mouth dry. No pucker, lightly tart.

A light medium body with high carbonation, but it works well. Smooth and creamy with a touch of effervescence.

This is a nice wild ale, but it definitely didn't blow me away. I guess it's balance is a detriment? Definitely well crafted and enjoyable. A very good beer.
Oct 22, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of Rug
Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Bottled April 2022

The first bottle I’m popping open from my first trip up to Allagash yesterday. We’re starting out with a mixed fermentation Golden Ale. A pretty straightforward way to start things off. Let’s see what it’s all about

Pours a cloudy gold with 3 fingers of off white head that slowly fades to a cap and leaves nice lacing

This is just lightly funky in the nose, it’s elegant over the rather restrained base. I’m picking up on aromas of pineapple, lemon yogurt, sharp oak, stone cellar, nectarine, bready malt, wildflower honey, white pepper, and orange zest

Unfortunately it loses a bit of that funk in taste going for a more earthy approach, but it’s still good. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting pineapple juice, orange zest, floral hops, biscuity malt, honey, light lemon zest, and light peach pit. The swallow brings notes of biscuity malt, pineapple, orange zest, crackery malt, wildflower honey, white pepper, and stone

A medium body pairs with gentle tingling carbonation, resulting in a crisp beer. Finishes neutral but not all that refreshing unfortunately, it just kinda sits there

This one is a bit strange, but I can’t get behind it. Not quite what I was expecting but still good
Sep 05, 2022
Photo of mschrei
Reviewed by mschrei from Illinois

4.27/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2016 bottle. Clear, fizzy, gold, some particulates, mild carbonation. Definitely funky and citrusy, notes of lemon, Belgian yeast, orange, and a bit of spice. More mouth watering finish than I expected. Healthy booze presence. Not sure if it’s faded due to age or it normally is this mild. Pretty good.
Aug 11, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by LAM01833 from Massachusetts

Aug 01, 2022
Photo of EMV
Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2015 vintage. Poured from a cork'n'cage bomber into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Nearly clear golden pour... 2 fingers of fizzy white head. Solid lacing.

S: Complex... tart and yeasty. Brett, grains, and fruit.

T.F: Fruity... a bit of sweetness and then modestly tart. Apple rind, funk, honey, pear, and grape must. Not overly acidic... complex. Lemon citrus, rind, and spice. Medium bodied... well carbonated... champagne-like. Finish is dry.

O: An outstanding Brett-aged beer. Complex and delicious. Allagash really knows does this style well.
Apr 08, 2021
Photo of SaisonMaker
Reviewed by SaisonMaker from Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
I had this on Christmas vacation on tap at the Vermont Hotel. It was a fantastic beer. Allagash makes fantastic beer. The brett was there but fairly subdued. Really well done and really great of tap if you can find it. It's probably very hard to find on tap.
Aug 30, 2020
Photo of hopley
Reviewed by hopley from Massachusetts

4.62/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
2012 bottle drank on 07.08.20. Bought from the brewery in late 2019. Drank out of a tulip.

Wish I could have done a side by side with a more recent bottle, and wish I’d gotten another few of these. Just a five star beer in every way, would love to know what 8 years of professional aging did for this. Poured nice and golden with a nice white frothy head. This is a tasty Belgian ale with just a hint of Brett. The taste is fruity and orangey, just wonderful. Nice full mouthfeel. I could drink this all night at 7.4%. Thanks, once again, Allagash!
Jul 09, 2020
Photo of Tony210
Reviewed by Tony210 from New Jersey

4.04/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a cloudy medium yellow, ample foamy head that lasts. Aroma is funky and hoppy, a little soapy and floral. Light bodied, crisp and effervescent, has a nice mild malt profile with a gentle hop bite. Overall an easy drinking Belgian ale.

1/26/20
750 ml bottle dated 4/27/17
4 rating
Jan 26, 2020
Photo of kitch
Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong

3.93/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.75
A 750ml corked and caged bottle, bottled in April 2014, and poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.

Appearance: A cloudy pale orange colour with a thin off white head that poured thick almost like syrup and left no lacing.

Aroma: Funky, brett, stone fruit, peach, apricot, lighter citrus, lemon, yuzu, grass and a touch floral.

Taste: Stone fruit forward, mango, apricot, peach, funky, brett, more mango juice, with a splash of lemon and floral notes.

Mouthfeel: Thick-ish, medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.

Overall: This was interesting… as I poured what looked a thick syrupy pour, I had the feeling that it might have gone bad. However, the aroma and flavours were great and had lots of stone fruit mixed with funkiness and brett. Mouthfeel wasn’t nearly as bad as what the pour appeared to me, but the carbonation was too light for me, and I felt that stronger carbonation could have helped balance and break down the thickness of the body.
Oct 18, 2019
 
Rated: 3.61 by Duncian from Pennsylvania

Aug 09, 2019
 
Rated: 3.96 by Griffith from Connecticut

Apr 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4.06 by themayorkoch from Ohio

Feb 16, 2019
 
Rated: 4.1 by chrisroarshack from Alaska

Feb 13, 2019
 
Rated: 4.04 by KMcGrath from Massachusetts

Nov 27, 2018
 
Rated: 4.14 by Beer21 from Florida

Nov 18, 2018
 
Rated: 3.79 by crobinso from Colorado

Nov 09, 2018
 
Rated: 3.72 by Nunya from Ohio

Sep 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by robotic_being from Illinois

Jul 18, 2018
 
Rated: 3.91 by GravityKills from Massachusetts

Apr 27, 2018
Photo of weareallfalafel
Reviewed by weareallfalafel from Virginia

4.72/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Bottled 2/03/2016, so just a few days shy of two years. Pours a luminescent golden color with an inch of off white head that falls slowly and leaves some pretty lacing on the sides of the glass. Smell is funky Brett, some grassy and slightly fruity hops, with a rustic grain character. Taste is follows with a bright vibrancy. Lemon peel, rustic, farmhouse-esque grainy character, a bit of hops that comes off more herbal than fruity, and big funky Brett overtones. Feel is medium bodied with soft carb and a beautifully dry finish with a tinge of funk and herbal hop character lingering long after the swallow. Overall, a beautifully crafted beer, more like a saison than I’d expected. Bright lemony character with ample Brett character to keep things very interesting. The flavors and aromas work like a symphony together. Harmonious and sublime. Killer, killer stuff, and age has done nothing less than extraordinary work with that brettanomyces showing its potential.
Jan 27, 2018
Confluence Ale from Allagash Brewing Company
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 958 ratings