Elevage
The Bruery Terreux

2020 vintage

While typically not the biggest fan of Tripels, especially ones aged in bourbon barrels, I am very intrigued by this one given that it’s sour and aged on grapes. It sounds like a weird idea that could clash with itself but I’m all about it. Let’s pop it open and see what it has to offer

This better be worth it after dealing with the nightmare of a cork. Pours an opaque brownish orange with no head obviously. And some bits of broken cork of course

The nose is promising so far, quite bourbon forward but still nicely balanced. I’m picking up on aromas of sweet bourbon, brandy, pear skin, apple cider vinegar, sweet honey, orange marmalade, grape skin, biscuity malt, and light graham cracker

It’s less aggressive than I was expecting in taste, leaning a bit more into Tripel territory and away from the bourbon. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting grape must, red wine vinegar, smooth oak, sweet bourbon, pear skin, earthy wheat, light banana, and toffee. The swallow brings notes of sharp oak, red wine vinegar, smooth bourbon, orange marmalade, smoky tobacco, vanilla bean, sweet honey, and apple brandy

A medium body and the lack of any carbonation results in a slick beer. Finishes bone dry and refreshing despite the stillness

This is a very strange and unique beer, one I’m glad to report was worth the struggle to get the stupid cork out

Pours a slightly muddy burnt orange amber with no head. Nose is full of sour funk with white sugary grapes. Opens with a hit of Bruery classic funk with some triple malt and muskiness that folds nicely into a white wine of melon, pear, white grapes, and white cherries with smooth oak. Body is light to medium and smooth with minimal carbonation. Ends with puckering bite in the back of mouth that alternates with some grape hard candy. Overall a wonderful beer wine hybrid from the Bruery that has a ton of complexity. Wish I picked up 2 more bottles

When a corked beer gives as much resistance as this one did, you expect a pop, a fizz, maybe a gusher. Nothing happened with this beer- not opening, not pouring. It’s dead, Jim.

Looks like the outside of a peach in terms of hue and distribution of darkness and lightness. But dead.

Strong scents of a citrusy juice, peach, grape, honey, and wooden barrels. There is a slight Tripel character, but it’s not very anssertive. Even smelling it, I know it’s going to be flavorful and thick.

Taste is, in fact, flavorful. Reminiscent of a sweet white wine, not reisling level, maybe more of a sauv Blanc. Tangy zesty citrusy back end that rockets forward. Sour eventually reminds you his name is on the label. Tripel profile is more prevalent on the tongue than the nose.

Big bodied, juicy, thick. Strong booze that gets overlooked because of the flavors and overall in your face of this one. Not a great Tripel, but a great barrel aged sour, and two out of three aren’t bad.

Turbid dull amber with some red peach hues and almost no head but for some clear spit bubbles.

This is like a very strong white wine with mild tripel esters and phenols, though also decently sour. Despite a little burn on the swallow, a sticky viscosity mitigates that.

Just chock full of grape must.

A: poured into a tulip glass to a golden orange beer. Due to this beer being still there's no head or carbonation
S: Smells of sour stone fruits, grapes, and hints of oak
T: Taste is sour peaches and stone fruits mixed with some hints of white wine grapes, nice building sourness with pleasant oak, a hint of vanilla and caramel sweetness. On the finish there's more pleasant sourness, more stone fruits, grapes, and oak.
M: This beer has a fairly full and slightly oily body while the beer has a drying finish due to the acidity
O: Overall this is a super fun beer. It tastes great with a nice amount of flavors and complexity. The alcohol is incredibly well hidden.