Allagash FV 13 - opinions?

Honestly it just wasn't very sour. It smelled like it would be, and after that you expect this warhead-like taste and it just isn't there. Not a bad beer by any means, just might not be what you're expecting. In a market where most sour lovers are looking for the most sour beers they can get, FV13 falls short.

 

I noticed those reviews too. I just had it for the first time yesterday and I thought it was really good. It isn't a huge sour bomb but its definitely delicious.

 

I thought it was delicious. Very well balanced. I would drink it regularly if it was available.

 

What led you to believe it would be a warhead-esque sour-bomb? Just because it isn't sour doesn't make it a bad beer. In fact, if you read the description from Allagash, "sour-bomb" was never what this beer was intended to be.

"FV 13 marks our first venture into the world of foudre beers. Foudres are giant oak tanks used for aging (this one holds 2700 gallons.) FV 13 is a blend of wild yeast and bacteria, a base beer with lots of malt character, and about four years of patience. The finished beer is copper in color, with an aroma of cherries and caramel. The flavor is a blend of sweet and tart, with notes of fruit and caramelized sugar. The full mouthfeel gives way to a tart, mouth drying finish."

 

It's not exceedingly tart; there is more of an emphasis on a lactic funk flavor. I, for one, really enjoyed it, but it's not what a Gueuze lover would want.

 

This is why everyone should stop referring to beers fermented with wild bacteria as "sour beers." It misleads people who don't understand the style into thinking that they should be looking for crude acid-dominated beers.

 

"...base beer with lots of malt character..." tells me it is going to be well-balanced, not super-sour and astringent. And that is exactly what it is - I am enjoying the hell out of every bottle I've purchased and have had it on draft 3 times with pleasure. The tartness and cherry flavors are just right.

 

Can you tell me when I said it was a bad beer?

 

It smelled like it would be sour. I've had beers that were moderately sour, and beers that were unbelievably sour. This one smelled like it would be very sour. I don't know what else to tell you.

 

And I'm asking why you would be expecting it to be a sour-bomb. That's not what Allagash intended it to be.

You didn't use the words "bad beer", but you said it falls short. The reason you gave for it falling short was that it wasn't super sour like a war head. My point is that you're mistaken in claiming it falls short, because you had expectations for the beer that were off.

 

Loved this beer. Just sour enough with a nice taste overall. Would love more.

 

From the two 4 oz pours that I had at the brewery, this was a very good beer. I grabbed a bottle as well. This was my first wild ale and it wasn't pucker-your-face-up sour at all. It was quite balanced and maintained that balance throughout. I can't wait to crack open the bottle I have.

 

I thought this beer was excellent. Very well balanced. Tart? Yes. Sour? Maybe a bit, but definitely tame where where the word is generally taken to mean on these boards.

I can't agree with this more. It may not have meant to be sour at all, much less a sour bomb. Tart and sour are two different things to me, but some around here seem to think they're synonyms for one another.

Why would a gueuze lover require a beer that's not a gueuze, to taste like a gueuze? I'm sure some gueuze lovers enjoy other beer styles. But yeah... When you expect something that's not a gueuze, to be like a gueuze...you deserve to BE let down.

It does need to stop.

It's never going to stop.

 

I said that in a market where sour beer lovers look for the most sour beer they can get, FV13 falls short. That does not even remotely equal calling it a bad beer. I've seen many reviews and posts of people disliking the beer because it isn't sour enough. That is an opinion, and a fair one. I don't care how Allagash intended it to be, that has nothing to do with my post. I didn't say "another letdown by Allagash" or anything like that. I said it isn't as sour as I thought it was going to be, and that many people who enjoy very sour beers were disappointed.

 

So to quote you, "in a market where sour beer lovers look for the most sour beer they can get", does Bourbon County Stout fall short? Do Heady, Alpine IPAs, and Pliny fall short? How about any other beer that wasn't intended to be sour?

My point is that you're claiming this beer falls due simply due to the fact that more and more people are getting into super sour beers. But this beer wasn't intended to be super sour! So your point literally makes no sense whatsoever to me.

 

Then that's on you for misinterpreting the style of beer. That doesn't mean the beer fell short.

 

I dug it. Went in not knowing what to expect, came out wonderfully surprised.

 

It was my favorite beer from extream beerfest.