Bier De Mars (Wine Barrel)
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
 
United States
Style:
Bière de Garde
ABV:
6.8%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
3.21 | pDev: 21.18%
Reviews:
3
Ratings:
7
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 27, 2014
Added:
Dec 16, 2012
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews.
 
Rated: 3.75 by DrBier from Pennsylvania

Jul 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by rolltide8425 from Pennsylvania

Jun 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by jbaker67 from Pennsylvania

Mar 08, 2014
Photo of CZs
Reviewed by CZs from Maryland

3.99/5  rDev +24.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Serving type: Cask - Kind of odd. They had used a leftover Oak Aged Saison bottle with the words scribbled out with pen, with "Bier De Mars" in hand writing underneath. Not sure what to think about that - never served something with handwriting on it before and obviously on a bottle intended for something else. Not gonna' stop me though - just a little unexpected. I wouldn't serve it like that. Poured into a small 8 oz chalice.

Appearance: Murky Copper / Brown. Just about flat.

Smell: Well - they say it sat around with wine yeast - that's what you get - wine. If you aren't used to smelling something that played with wine - it could make you cough as the wife did.

Taste: Wine, dry, dark fruits on the sides and back of the tongue and something else that reminds me of a basement. If they were aiming to get a musty beer - they succeeded. I'm truly perplexed by this brew. I've never tasted anything like it. You are absolutely not going to get "Oh - another farmhouse style to try - sounds bright and refreshing!" Nope - not even close. Proceed with caution and be ready for something closer to Sangiovese / Marsala with a hint of what it used to be before the "wild wine yeasts" got a hold of it. I'm thrilled that I got something so unique for a change.

Mouthfeel: Oily, flat.

Overall: I call it the Snake Plissken of Biere De Mars. You're seeking that spring / summer time refresher, and instead you're getting the guy with the sweet grey-lightning camo pants, snake tattoo on the belly, and an eye patch. This brew doesn't care and plays by its own rules. Proceed with caution. I can't give it huge marks but it's uniqueness and unapologetic must will make you rethink what bizarre and funky really is in a brew. Phew.
May 19, 2013
 
Rated: 2 by ShanePB from Pennsylvania

Mar 27, 2013
Photo of DIM
Reviewed by DIM from Pennsylvania

2.48/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 1.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 1.5
This beer is Calista Flockhart drinking day old champagne in her London apartment. That is to say, flat.

a: This was a clear copper color and it poured with no bubbles.

s: Obvious wine barrel aromas, funky yeast, and wet grains. Vinous vinegary aromas as well.

t: The lack of carbonation really hurt here, making the flavor seem very heavy. This was very wine barrel forward, with some nice lingering funk and tobacco towards the end.

m: Flat and heavy.

o: It's really too bad about the lack of bubbles, there is a really nice beer here. But Iron Hill has absolutely no business selling these, especially at over 20 dollars apiece.
Mar 10, 2013
Photo of yourefragile
Reviewed by yourefragile from District of Columbia

3.28/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Entering this as new beer even though it has the same name as some previous entries in the database. This is the version released on draft and 750 mL bottle at Iron Hill Lancaster's 2012 "Make it Funky" event. Label description reads, "Biere de Mars: French Farmhouse ale with notes of spice, toasted bread and caramel malts aged in a wine barrel with wild yeasts for one year." (Yes, label spells Bier(e) both ways). Previously reviewed version do not appear to be barrel aged or wild.

Pours a dark, cloudy copper with a thin bubbly clear head that quickly fades with no lace. From the bottle this appears mostly still. Slightly acetic nose, load of red wine, grape and toasted malt. Vinegary flavor, with some pepper and bready malt, strong vinous dark fruit finish. Medium thick and completely flat. This was mildly better on draft though this bottle isn't completely undrinkable.
Dec 16, 2012
Bier De Mars (Wine Barrel) from Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
Beer rating: 3.21 out of 5 with 7 ratings