Sans Pagaie Reserve
The Bruery Terreux

Review: 2583
Name: Sans Pagaie Reserve
Brewery: The Bruery Terreux
Location: Placentia, CA
Style: Wild Ale
ABV: 10.1%
Canned: 2020
Date: 02 April 2026
Initial Impression:
The original San Pagaie set a high bar, so I was eager to revisit this reserve after six years in the cellar. Pulling the cork releases a firm pop and soft hiss, followed by a wisp of vapor—like a long-rested beer waking up.
Appearance:
Served at 50°F in a tulip. Pours reddish-orange with deep amber highlights (approx. SRM ~14, influenced by cherry addition), semi-transparent. A dense, rocky white head shows excellent retention and leaves heavy, persistent lacing. Elegant and well-preserved for its age and strength.
Aroma:
Bright, complex, and clearly acid-driven. Tart cherry leads, supported by lemon and lactic acidity. Subtle Brett character presents as light barnyard and hay/straw. Secondary notes include floral esters, light toasted malt, cracker-like grain, and soft oak. Hints of earth and resin round it out. Very expressive without becoming sharp or harsh.
Flavor:
Layered and well-integrated. Upfront tart cherry and lactic acidity balanced by light oak and gentle funk (barnyard/horse blanket). Mid-palate brings lemon, floral esters, and a touch of residual fruit sweetness alongside light cracker and toasted malt. The finish is dry and complex, with lingering earthiness, straw/grass, and developed notes of light sherry and faint oxidation (papery), which add depth rather than detract.
Mouthfeel:
Medium-light body with medium-high carbonation. Lively and effervescent, enhancing a crisp, puckering acidity. Finishes dry, refreshing, and structured.
Overall Impression:
San Pagaie Reserve is a beautifully matured sour that showcases what thoughtful cellaring can achieve. The six years have introduced subtle oxidative notes—sherry-like and lightly papery—, but they integrate seamlessly into the beer’s complexity. The balance of fruit, acidity, funk, and oak is impressive, and it feels like I opened it at just the right moment in its life cycle. A fantastic, contemplative sipper that exceeded already high expectations.

A: Poured into a tulip glass to a slightly hazy reddish orange beer which is topped by a dense and slightly rocky two fingers of pinkish colored head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with decent lacing
S: Smells of sour cherries, funk and oak
T: Taste is sour cherries, light funk, some pale malts, and some nice oak influence with wave after wave of cherry flavor mixed with some funk. On the finish there's more sour cherries, light funk, and some lingering oak with a little more base malt
M: This beer has a moderate amount of body while carbonation is pleasant and effervescent. The beer has a drying finish due to the acidity.
O: Overall this is an exceptional beer. Great flavors and some decent complexity have this beer firing on all cylinders. It's a shame that it's retired because it's very well crafted.