Allagash Cuvee d’Industrial
A quick search on this site quickly reveals my love for Allagash Brewing and their tasty, Belgian-inspired beers. I don’t think I’ve encountered a product from them that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed. Cuvee d’Industrial is the latest in a long lie of successfully produced, barrel-aged beers.
Cuvee d’Industrial is a blend of barrel-aged wild ales — some in American oak, others in French — ranging in age from one to five years. The result is a beer that has a decent amount of wild tartness, but is also fully drinkable. It’s not going to completely wreck your palate as you make your way through its brilliant depths.
Appearance
A soft, pillowy head of off-white foam rests atop the golden liquid.
Aroma
Grain, honey, yeasty funk, soft tart tingle, wood, herbal/flowery notes and distant fruits all come together smoothly.
Taste
Overall, Cuvee d’Industrial has a pretty mellow tartness leads the way before slowly fading through, allowing grain, light honey, stone fruits and funky yeast to shine through. While the level of tartness isn’t as potent as some, it does grab the tongue a good bit. The beer is crisp and medium-bodied, leaving behind a lasting finish.
Overall
Allagash has got their barrel-aging on lock-down. Just about every beer that they’ve released recently, Cuvee d’Industrial included, has been world-class. My only complaint with this — and most of their beers that I buy — is not getting enough of it to last longer in my fridge.
Rating: 4.25/5
