The Old Toad Jus De L’Amour
CB Craft Brewers

 

This was poured from the tap at The Old Toad in Rochester, NY. It arrives in a house nonic glass. The color glows a toasted golden yellow, holding a one finger head of tight white bubbles, showing nice retention, and leaving a single sheet of lacing from the rim of the glass all the way to the bottom. Carbonation appears active, and no haze or sediment is noted. The nose sniffs much like a wit. There is toasted grain, wet wheat, stone, mineral, solid metallic yeast, bitter green olive, and light smoked cedar wood on the back. There is little fruit sweetness, but lactic musky sourness with warmth. With warmth comes a nice honey sweetness. Our first impression is that this is a nice, refreshing beer. As we sip, the flavoring opens with fresh wheat, light sour vinegar, and sour fruit. The fruit is biting and expired, with notes of apple, pear, and raw cherries. Yeasty bites and metallic malts continue, with more wheat and pale malts to the peak. The finish is clean, with light woodiness, more yeast, light tin, soured cherries, soured apricots, and that curious ripe olive from the nose. With warmth come bitter orange peel and light clovey phenols. Finally, the fruit comes in with force here at the end!! The aftertaste breathes of wet wheat, stark phenols, light alcohols, and the faintest citric hops. The body is medium, and the carbonation is high, lightly prickling the tongue and palate. The mouth is lightly coated, and a faint metallic streak sits all around. There is soft slurp, cream, and froth to each sip. The abv is appropriate, and the beer drinks easily.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the flavoring and drinkability. The malts and wheatiness were nice, keeping the palate refreshed as we sipped. We do, however, wish that the advertised fruit was more present, and that they actually imparted a more, truer, sour vibe. Otherwise, the beer is tasty, and fitting amongst their lineup of house beers.