Juggling Walruses
The Bruery Terreux


- From:
- The Bruery Terreux
- California, United States
- Style:
- Wild Ale
- ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 90
- Avg:
- 4.07 | pDev: 7.37%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 12
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Aug 23, 2021
- Added:
- Dec 02, 2015
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 14
There were a lot of balls in play. And heavy lifting. You see, in relatively short order, Bruery Terreux had become quite robust. We had amassed a substantial amount of filled barrels, from seasonal releases, one-time treats and cherished smaller batch experiments. The art of the blend beckoned, and we had our pick of the litter (or would that be herd?) For such a mysterious beer that became known around the office as Juggling Walruses, Tart of Darkness was the perfect place to begin, making up the highest percentage of contributing barrels. But it wasn't just Tart of Darkness as you've come to know it. About two-thirds of the barrels were wine barrel-aged Tart of Darkness; and the other third of the oak barrels from the sour stout were particularly young. Black currants were added to all these barrels, introducing a less familiar fruit to our lineup, with a darker hue and new nuances to the sour beer flavor profile.
When blended with the other oak barrel and bourbon barrel-aged beers that were carefully selected for this blend, Juggling Walruses exhibits dark fruits, roast and char on the nose, with vinous notes and oaky characteristics weaving through flavors reminiscent of midnight foraging for berries in the forest. The mystery, though now revealed, remains dark at present, and will continue to brighten and evolve over time, as the high alcohol, slow-building acidity and subtle fruit character fold into the malt base and mouthfeel.
When blended with the other oak barrel and bourbon barrel-aged beers that were carefully selected for this blend, Juggling Walruses exhibits dark fruits, roast and char on the nose, with vinous notes and oaky characteristics weaving through flavors reminiscent of midnight foraging for berries in the forest. The mystery, though now revealed, remains dark at present, and will continue to brighten and evolve over time, as the high alcohol, slow-building acidity and subtle fruit character fold into the malt base and mouthfeel.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Gatch from Massachusetts
4.15/5 rDev +2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.15/5 rDev +2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottled 10/30/15 and consumed late August 2021. A unique and slightly strange beer but that was expected based on the name. Lots of flavors and character coming through, almost too much due to the nature of the blending. Dark tart fruits dominate as do earthy sour and woody notes. Weird but good once!
Aug 23, 2021Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina
4.25/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A: Poured into a Duvel tulip to a deep and dark beer which is essentially black. the beer is topped by a dense and rocky two and a half finger head which slowly fades leaving minimal lacing.
S: Smells of light sourness, slight wine barrel, dark fruits and red berries. Slight chocolate and dark malt presence as well
T: Taste is dark chocolate, slight coffee, earthyness, nice acidity, slight currant and red berries with some oak and wine like presence. On the swallow there's more acidity, berries, leather, currants, slight funk, and lingering drying oak.
M: This beer has a fairly full body on the palate with a slightly silky feel. Carbonation is effervescent without being prickly while the beer has a drying finish due to the acidity.
O: Overall this is a very impressive beer. It has some really nice flavors and a lot of complexity. There's a lot of very subtle stuff going on in the background which really makes this a beer to be sipped and pondered. Well worth a try if you like dark sour beers and they make this again.
Nov 12, 2019S: Smells of light sourness, slight wine barrel, dark fruits and red berries. Slight chocolate and dark malt presence as well
T: Taste is dark chocolate, slight coffee, earthyness, nice acidity, slight currant and red berries with some oak and wine like presence. On the swallow there's more acidity, berries, leather, currants, slight funk, and lingering drying oak.
M: This beer has a fairly full body on the palate with a slightly silky feel. Carbonation is effervescent without being prickly while the beer has a drying finish due to the acidity.
O: Overall this is a very impressive beer. It has some really nice flavors and a lot of complexity. There's a lot of very subtle stuff going on in the background which really makes this a beer to be sipped and pondered. Well worth a try if you like dark sour beers and they make this again.
Reviewed by cvm4 from Mississippi
4.35/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2015 vintage
L - Pours a dark brown cola body with a 1.5 finger medium khaki head. Great retention to the head, it really sticks around. Not much lacing though.
S - Tart berry nose (cranberries? boysenberries?), oak, funk and mild lactic acid. May'be some lemon comes through. No real trace of bourbon barrels though.
T - More tart than I expected, but it's not an all out sour like a lot of the Bruery sours are. The taste really follows the nose. Again, bourbon barrels are faint.
F - On the full side of light bodied with medium carbonation. It has a dry finish and the abv is well hidden.
O - This is so balanced between the tartness and the juicy berries along oak.
Sep 27, 2016L - Pours a dark brown cola body with a 1.5 finger medium khaki head. Great retention to the head, it really sticks around. Not much lacing though.
S - Tart berry nose (cranberries? boysenberries?), oak, funk and mild lactic acid. May'be some lemon comes through. No real trace of bourbon barrels though.
T - More tart than I expected, but it's not an all out sour like a lot of the Bruery sours are. The taste really follows the nose. Again, bourbon barrels are faint.
F - On the full side of light bodied with medium carbonation. It has a dry finish and the abv is well hidden.
O - This is so balanced between the tartness and the juicy berries along oak.
Reviewed by ReviewingUnderInfluence from Canada (AB)
4.92/5 rDev +20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
4.92/5 rDev +20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Never even heard of this beer until I visited their brewery and had to pick it up. The Black Tuesday and Tart Of Darkness balance together amazingly. Creamy rich and dry mouthfeel. Oak tannins, tart currents, lemon sourness from the ToD and amazing caramel, choclate, smoke and hazelnut from the BT. Reminiscent of Nutella. Best sour stout out there?
Aug 09, 2016
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