Larkspur
Brewery Bhavana

Clear, golden color with a medium‑sized, white, bubbly head. The aroma shows vinous notes layered with hints of lemon, peach, and light yeast character. The flavor is moderately tart with a crisp, champagne‑like quality that gives it a lively, sparkling impression. Overall, an enjoyable beer.

2024 Vintage that has been in the cellar since Christmas 2024, poured into a Treehouse Teku glass

Appearance: Very active carbonation but thankfully relatively tame and not a gusher that leaves a somewhat quickly dissipating 0.75 inch head. Definitely golden in color, looking like a somewhat more active HF Arthur. Loads of tiny bubbles climb the sides of the glass contributing to a now 0.25 inch head, and shrinking. Won't have to wait forever to take a sip.

Aroma: Oooh, mmm. Right off the bat there's that comfortable aroma of sour bacteria/cultures. Lightly tart on the nose, this already seems like something I'm going to enjoy quite well. I'm not picking up anything particularly fruity, but there are also no off aromas either so that's a big plus.

Taste: Oh yes, pure joy. I'm surprised with how long this has been in the cellar that it isn't more tart. It's lightly tart, but all delicious. This is right up my alley for sure. Didn't hit me in the jowls, but I did salivate and I want to go in for more. Wait, this is 10.5%? This is a very easy drinking 10+. I want to just drink it all down the hatch at once; thankfully I have the entire 750 to myself. I'm surprised at the lack of stone-fruit character. The bottle says notes of peach, pear and citrus. Let me go back in. It's definitely crisp. I'm still not finding the specific flavor notes that I was expecting, but everything about the flavor is perfect. This is a keeper, big time. Checking to see if this was barrel aged because it seems like I'm picking up barrel notes. The bottle does not mention a barrel. Maybe that's my mind playing tricks on me, or maybe there are just some subtle complexities at play. The aftertaste is so good, too. The melange of flavors come together in this crescendo and then I'm left with just enough acidity and...maybe there's the citrus. Maybe it's on the back end working in concert with the creaminess and what seems like lacto goodness. After going in for my second glass I'm picking up almost a pressed apple cider flavor. Is it sweet? Is it dry? I'm not sure, but it is definitely crisp.

Mouthfeel: Big fan. The perfect balance. I don't care for thin beers, and some of the higher ABV beers available are so heavy that it can be a challenge to get through. This is almost creamy, which is weird for a golden ale. It has just the right viscosity to carry the flavors. The excellent carbonation is a big help here too. Not too much where it takes away, yet enough where it isn't just a still wine-inspired beer. I'm at a loss to come up with something imperfect about it. The hit of acid at the tail end is also quite refreshing.

Overall: What can I really say? This is truly a beer to celebrate. At 10.5 ABV it comes across extremely drinkable. For lovers of the style I'd say this would be a wonderful offering. For someone just starting out or trying to get into the style this would make for an excellent introduction. Just beware that your standards will probably be pretty high. Is it the best beer I've ever had? Nope. Is there really much I would improve upon? No I don't think so. I didn't really get some of the notes that were listed on the label, but it's also just a superb offering. I got another bottle for Christmas 2025 that I don't think will last as long in the cellar before being enjoyed. I'm very happy with this. I would drink and buy another one of these in a heartbeat if given the chance. My brother in law and I share a lot of beer together when we aren't 700 miles apart. Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout and Founders KBS have become a Christmas tradition over time. Two years running he's picked up a bottle of the current offering of Larkspur; I'm hoping that he turns this into a tradition as well moving forward. What a great, great beer. There is clearly care and expertise that went into crafting this beer. Keep it up! They're definitely doing something right.

Edit: I had the mouthfeel at a 4.75 but honestly, why didn't I rate it a 5? There's nothing I can say wrong about the mouthfeel. Changing to a 5.

 

2023 vintage

It’s always cool seeing breweries release a Bière de Champagne. I’ve only had 4 of them over the years and I’ve picked up every one that I see in the wild (at least the ones I recognize). Let’s crack it open and find out what it has to offer

Pours a cloudy yellow gold with 2 fingers of soapy white head that fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing

The nose is very reminiscent of champagne, more so than any beer of this style that I’ve tried. I’m picking up on aromas of buttery oak, apple skin, earthy wheat, pear, white grape skin, wildflower honey, stone, lime zest, and light banana

It has more bite to it in taste, but is still very champagne-like. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting pear, tannic white wine, lime zest, stone, honeysuckle, earthy wheat, underripe cantaloupe, and smooth oak. The swallow brings notes of white grape skin, earthy wheat, honeydew, stone, lemon juice, pear skin, like zest, buttery oak, wet hay, and banana

A medium body pairs with gentle tingling carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes a tad sticky but dries out quickly and drinks well below its abv

This is a super fun one. Very much in line with a great champagne

 

16 ounce can into a flute glass. A 2022 release, had 1/16/24.

Pours a clear golden color, with a one and a half inch foamy head and a decent amount of foamy lacing. Active carbonation. Aromas of white wine, yeast, pear- at first, then fades a bit, light peach and melon, a light funk when warmed. Smells lightly herbal. Flavors of white wine, yeast, some apple, some malt, light peach. Tastes lightly herbal with a little bit of a sweet note. Smooth, dry, a very good lighter medium body, well carbonated.

For me, the wine characteristics are pretty dominant (as they should be?), but there’s enough other lighter aromas and flavors to keep it interesting. Very enjoyable.

 

16oz can from Tavour. Golden pour with an abundant white head. Aroma is yeasty, Belgian, banana, fruity. taste is stone fruit, apples, pears, yeasty. Savory notes at the back. Full bodied.

 

Murky but mostly clear dark orange body, large off-white foam head that slowly bubbles away. Taste has orange and flowers bond with champagne yeast with a kiss of light dry earth. Smell is fruitier: melon, peach, pear with hints of funk. Feel is yeasty, cool, slightly funky, but more so airy and arising. So nice to have a biere de champagne available these days, this one while a subtler complexity, hits all the right notes. Paired great with some strawberries shared with my love

A Tavour Treat and my first Biere de Champagne style. Pours a gold color with almost no head. Aroma of apples. Taste is sour Citrus fruits and a bit sweet. Crisp and dry.

 

Appearance: Pours a relatively clear honey color with a one finger head; splotchy lace

Smell: Funky yeast and vinous white wine aromatics with vague hints of stone fruit

Taste: Funky with tart lemon tones forward; subtle hints of stone fruit underneath; bitter, with increasing green apple tartness, after the swallow, followed by a dry finish; herbal bitterness in the aftertaste; a vinous element pervades

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with high carbonation

Overall: An interesting approach that brings a lot of tart and bitter tones with a vinous character