One of the flagships of Lost Abbey, a complex, Belgian-inspired ale (the term ’cuvée" already hints that) matured on wine and bourbon barrels, with added sour cherries and wild yeasts. Very thin and pale beige head, requiring some forcing to develop and breaking open in instants, eventually disappearing altogether; colour a very dark brownish purple, like an old port wine, hazy to cloudy, with pale protein flakes at the bottom after adding the deposit. Strong and expectedly very complex aroma of sour cherries, red wine vinegar, cranberries, vanilla, oaky tannins, hint of bourbon, caramel, dusty cellar, varnish but not disturbingly so, sour yoghurt, balsamic vinegar, raisins, figs in ’jenever’, cardboard, tomato concentrate, almond. Complex estery fruitiness in the onset, sour cherries and berries, lemony acidity even drying the mouth, lactic acidity as well, balsamic vinegar, woody tannins coming up quickly over a smooth caramelly maltiness, somewhat dusty, with increasing drying tartness in the finish, as well as increasing woodiness and a hint of warming, port wine- and bourbon-like alcohol, very vinous, with some lingering malt sweetness, truly mouth watering. The sour, dry fruitiness and tannins remain in the mouth long after you’ve taken your last sip. This is righteously a classic, a wonderfully complex, woody and fruity sour, which is clearly linked to the Flemish ’oud bruin’ tradition, but in a ’pimped’ kind of way. Noble, warming, vinous and extremely appetizing: a must if you are into sour beer types. This kind of ’gastronomic’ beers are on a par with any great wine, if you ask me.

Bottle thanks to..... eek I’m really sorry, someone gave this to me at a Pigs Ear beer festival when it was still at the nightclub. And for that so much thanks. TBone? Ken? Sorry. Pours deep deep ruby almost black with ruby edges. Lasting tan head. Excellent exciting spine tingling sour cherry aroma, with some malt backbone. Like black cherry, some chocolate. Smells like a dark chocolate cherry liquer. The sour aroma is hypnotic. It’s freakin’ excellent. OK so I’d want a bit more farmyard from an authentic Belgian sour, but that is being picky. Smooth dark chocolate and this burst of sour dark cherry. It’s really quite sour. Perfectly balanced though and quite dry on the finish, with a touch of fruity vinegar on the finish. A little bit of tannin. I mean it is superb. Complex flavours. Lacks perhaps the authentic Belgian funk but still, it’s pretty damn good. Smooth, sour. Some vinegar flavours that build. An accomplished sour. It’s rather hypnotising. I’ll have to have a Struise Earthmonk afterwards to compare. I liked it though.

Bottle at Appellation Comely Bank tasting thanks to BenH. Appearance - muddy brown like starting into a puddle. Also no head whatsoever. Nose - incredible, so much going on. Sour, but salty almost like anchovies, then there’s wood spice complementing the salt with pepper. A sweet tang from fruit going on too. Taste - as per the nose, it drags you in and shows you more and more. Palate - the body is medium in structure, the texture seems delicate to begin with but then it shows great power and persistence. The finish is a continuation of this and it tapers perfectly to the end. A beer of incredible elegance and restrained power. Overall - A beer of true individual personality and now my new favourite beer! Wow, thanks Ben, one I’ll never forget.

Bottle at tasting. Shame we left this so late in to the night! Pours murky brown, no real head. Lovely aromas, leather, sour fruit, oak, spice, raisins, pepper. Lots going on. Taste is cherries, oak, bourbon, and everything else! Very sour finish. Different to everything on that night, and in a class of its own.

Ölföreningen 2014. Smak och doft av körsbär, tranbär, russin, fikon portvin, ekfat, trä, torkad frukt, plommonkärnor med toner av äppelvinäger. Syrlig, frisk, lagom sötma. Tjock, rund och len. Välbalanserad med lite strävhet i beskan. Så mycket smak, bland det godaste jag smakat.

375 ml bottle from Beergium.com, 2013 edition.
Dark brownish red body, no head.
Aroma is sour, tart, with barrel notes, barnyard, cherry, dark berries, dried fruits, brown sugar, some vinegar.
Wonderful taste, full, satisfyingly tart and sour, but still comfortable, with quite similar aromas as in the nose, but with even more depth.
Full, oily mouthfeel, with a low carbonation.
Finishes sour and with long-lasting wooden barrel notes.

Delicious! Feels more like a red wine than a beer, very complex, deep and luxurious. The balance is just oustanding! One of the very best sour beers I’ve had so far, although I’ve enjoyed the Rodenbach Caractère Rouge even a bit more.