’Sour stout’ commissioned by 3 Fonteinen since 2010. And where Armand Debelder is, lambic is never far away: this black roasted beer is partially fermented with a wild lambic yeast. The result introduces a Brett aroma and taste to a black beer - which is perhaps not too far away to what a historical, 18th century porter tasted like. Light beige, creamy head, blackish colour with wine red glow; aroma of raisins, red wine vinegar, hazelnuts, balsamico, cocoa, elderberry, dates, coffee, bitter chocolate, dry sherry, leather, wet hay, caramel. Rich malty taste with some wild yeast leatheriness and funkiness, high drinkability, drying effect of the wild yeast especially noticeable in the finish, where it is paired with a coffee- and chocolate-like roasted bitterness; in all, a certain oud bruin-like effect but with deeper, roasted malt bitterness. Interesting, but I can imagine this will not be to anyone’s liking.

(Bottle @ VilleValla Pub, Linköping, Nov 6 2014) Pours a very deep brown with a moderate, tight off-white head and loads of lace. Aroma has a mild tartness that has cherry hints, semisweet chocolate, lightly smoky roast, a faintly musty lambic yeast note. Palate has some tartness initially, cherry and some citrus juice in support, but mostly driven by malts. Chocolate powder, very light coffee roast, sweetish dark toffee malt, drying and lightly dusty roast on the finish but not very bitter at all with tart hints remaining. Lightish mouthfeel with soft, average strength carb. Very easy drinking actually, not aggressively sour by any means and the malts are fairly mild roast-wise but still bring porter flavours. Not the craziest beer but deserves kudos for balance.

Bottle. Cherry, orange, chocolate malt and light herbal aroma. Black with small head. Tart cherry, lambic yeast and light chocolate malt flavor. Light body. Very nice - malt flavor subdued.

Pours clear dark brown with a huge brown slowly dissipating head leaving some lacings. Aroma is sweet with cocoa, bitter chocolate, sweetish and roasted malt, coffee and a slight yeasty hint. Taste is malty, mostly sweet and roasted, with coffee and hints of cookies on one hand, on another it’s fairly sour, and the sourness quite unexpectedly kicks in bigger and bigger and lingers until the very finish where some coffee meets up. Medium body, medium carbo, oily texture. Well, this was a most interesting porter, the sour touch made it very drinkable actually, as if it fits better to a spring afternoon rather than a dark winter night.

330ml bottle @ Midlands Tasting Group Aug 14, at Richie’s Hop Palace. Pours very dark brown with a creamy head. Bizarre taste mixing dark malts & nuts with a sour farmhouse funk. Interesting but can’t see it being my ’go-to’’ beer anytime soon.

Deeeeeep darkish color with a fine dense tan head. Good lacing. Mellow and nice aroma. Chocolate, some funk and mild fruity. Medium + body. Tad sweet and a moderate bitterness. Smooth easy drinkable porter. A bit unusual with its mild funky dress. Mild pleasant chocolate, caramel and mild fruity. Nice one!.
[Bottle from Systembolaget web order, Sweden]