Allagash Brewing Tiarna
We’ll take a break from the run of tasty stouts for a beer at the complete opposite end of the beery spectrum. Allagash Brewing has been on a tear as of late with a series of limited releases that showcase their expertise with regard to wild, barrel-aged ales. Tiarna is another example that the company knows how to craft a wildly, well, wild brew with great flavor and refreshing nature.
Tiarna is a blend of two beers, one aged in oak and fermented with 100% brettanomyces, and the other fermented in stainless with a blend of two belgian yeast strains. Both beers were brewed with a combination of 2 row and wheat malt in addition to specialty grains and hopped with Hallertau, Styrian Goldings and Cascade hops.
allagash.com
The result of that blending is a beer that has an incredible flavor profile and a fairly approachable level of tartness that won’t scare too many novice beer drinkers off. A smooth bit of wild funk lingers gently as an unexpected touch of pineapple raises eyebrows. My only complaint with this beer is the level of carbonation — it’s a bit too sharp and active for me personally with a beer of this style. Beyond that nit, Allagash have themselves another stellar release with Tiarna.