The Lost Abbey

Lost Abbey Saint’s Devotion

by

The Lost Abbey: Inspired Beer for Sinners and Saints Alike… and also for: the Antichrist! Tomme Arthur’s middle name? Damien! Does he have the number of the beast birthmark? Of course he does! Number of days since the last freak accident at the brewery? Two. Somehow a lose pane of glass was launched horizontally through the brewery, hitting a mild mannered bottling line worker right in the neck, popping his head off like a cork (well, a cork in a well carbonated beer, so, like, not a Lost Abbey cork). The disembodied head tumbled through the air, carromed off a couple of bottles of Cable Car and landed directly in the trash can. The tragedy was mostly averted, though, because the bottles of Cable Car were unharmed.

Well, Antichrist or not, Tomme “Damien” Arthur sure seems to know what he’s doing on the beer front. This beer is a variant of one of their old standbys, a dry-hopped but relatively straightforward Belgian Pale Ale called Devotion. It’s solid but not exactly lighting the world on fire. So they dosed it with Brettanomyces, which jacked the ABV up to (wait for it) 6.66%. Does the beginning of this post make sense now? No? Well fine then, here, look at the pretty picture:

The Lost Abbey Saints Devotion

The Lost Abbey Saint’s Devotion – Pours a cloudy golden yellow color with a ton of fluffy head. Smells utterly fantastic, spicy Belgian yeast and a beautiful fruity Brett character not unlike Logsdon Seizoen Bretta or Jolly Pumpkin Baudelaire iO (which is high praise). The taste starts with a sweet and spicy Belgian pale note, with that fruity, earthy Brett popping in towards the finish. Nice balance of flavor here, with no element getting too uppity. All cracks about poor carbonation aside, the mouthfeel for this one is highly carbonated, effervescent, and very dry. Crisp and refreshing, this could pull food pairing duty or perhaps a nice daydrinking deal, or just by itself. Overall, this is a fantastic brew! A-

Beer Nerd Details: 6.66% ABV bottled (375 ml caged and corked). Drank out of a goblet on 6/1/13. Vintage 2013 A (I think, date on the bottle kinda got smudged)

I will say, this was a bit pricey. I generally expect that from Lost Abbey, but I’ve heard it can be found for sub-$10 in some places, which would be a bargain. Not sure if it was just a bottle shop markup or what… Legit beer though, especially if you like those Bretty saisons/pales.

April Beer Club

by

In the Beer Justice System the people are represented by two separate, yet equally important groups. The drinkers who investigate crime and the District Attorneys who prosecute the offenders. They meet once a month at a local BYOB to sample beers. These are their stories:

beerclub-april13.jpg

The following notes, compiled by our resident stenographer, should be taken with a grain of salt as I’m pretty sure the stenographer was also drunk (as evidence, well, the stenographer was me). In order of drinking (not in order of picture, and sadly, we didn’t get to all beers in the picture either):

  • Starr Hill The Love – A pretty straightforward but enjoyable hefeweizen. Super carbonated, overwhelming head, but a nice banana/clove weizen yeast character, highly drinkable stuff. B
  • The Captain’s Brew House All American – This is actually a buddy’s homebrew, and I arrived a bit late, so I only really got to try the yeasty dregs of the bottle, but it seemed pretty darn good – easily the equal of the previous beer. Would like to try it fresh sometime. Still, truly a beer worthy of Captain America (i.e. the namesake of my buddy’s home brewery).
  • Ommegang Hennepin – You know, I’ve mentioned this beer numerous times on the blog, but I’ve never actually reviewed it. It’s a really nice beer, one of my favorites, the beer that introduced me to the world of good beer. Nice Belgian yeast character, light, crisp, refreshing, quaffable stuff. I might be into chasing more funky varieties of saison these days, but it’s always fun to revisit this beer and it holds a special place in my heart. A
  • Ommegang Rare Vos – The slightly maltier sibling of Hennepin, I also love this beer (which, yes, I’ve actually reviewed before), one of those beers that is also probably impacted by nostalgia for me, but it’s just as good as ever. A
  • The Captain’s Brew House Shameless IPA – Another homebrew, this one is actually a Northern Brewer Dead Ringer. It was very good, with a big malt backbone, but also a nice hop character. I’m not a huge fan of centennial single hopped IPAs, but this one was solid.
  • Kaedrin Dubbel – My homebrewed dubbel continues to evolve, with an almost coffee-like character emerging right now (but not straight coffee, and not really a roast either, somewhere perhaps between those flavors). It’s actually quite interesting. I’ll be interested in trying this again in isolation, as beer club isn’t exactly the best setting for my palate!
  • Trappistes Rochefort 8 – Truly a classic beer, one of my favorites of all time. Previously reviewed.
  • Boulevard Collaboration No. 3 – Stingo – A collaboration with Kaedrin favorite Pretty Things, this one goes a more English route, though it’s souped up a bit more than that might lead you to believe. Nice subtle hints of breadiness and toffee with maybe a hint of dark chocolate. Didn’t really strike a big chord with me, but it was certainly a well made beer. B
  • Starr Hill Double Platinum – A solid, if a bit boozy DIPA. Nice hop character, but the booze was more prominent than I expected for an 8.5% ABV beer. It was probably a little warmer than it should have been, but I’ll leave it at a B for now.
  • Lost Abbey Red Poppy – Another of my contributions for the night, this is still a spectacular beer, and made a lot of waves with the attendees, even folks who don’t normally go in for “beer”. Previously reviewed, and still an A in my book.
  • Firestone Walker §ucaba – Very generously contributed by Kaedrin friend Dana (she’s not a huge bourbon fan, but knows that some of us other beer club members are), this sucker is as good as ever. Previously rated and still an A in my book.

And that just about wraps up this episode of Law & Order & Beer. Fortunately, all As and Bs, so no District Attorneys needed. See you next month.

Lost Abbey Serpent’s Stout

by

Because you don’t know the power of the dark side until you try it:

Lost Abbey Serpents Stout

The Lost Abbey Serpent’s Stout – Pours a pitch black color (darker than a politician’s heart, you know, while we’re talking about serpents and good vs. evil and all) with a gorgeous two finger light brown head. Seriously dark head here, and it leaves tons of lacing as I drink. Smells of rich, dark malts, a nice roast, chocolate, maybe some coffee. Taste starts with those rich dark malts (a richness I usually associate with barrel aged stuff, though I don’t think this is barrel aged), then the roast hits hard, black coffee and bitter dark chocolate asserting themselves, and a well matched finish too. Not really bitter, per say, but there’s plenty here that balances out the sweetness. Mouthfeel is thick and chewy, lots of rich malts, but there’s plenty of carbonation to balance things out too, making this a pleasant sipper (impressive for such a big, heavy beer). Overall, this is a fantastic imperial stout, near top tier (and certainly one of the best that’s readily available in the area). A-

Beer Nerd Details: 11% ABV bottled (750 ml caged and corked). Drank out of a tulip glass on 3/29/13. 2013 Vintage.

Every time I have a Lost Abbey beer, I’m tempted to take out a second mortgage and go all in to acquire some of their .rar sours or whatnot. Stupid serpent with it’s forked tongue. In the meantime, I’ll be keeping an eye out for that Brett dosed Devotion that sounds rather yummy. Also got another bottle of Red Poppy, which is just superb.

Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale

by

The Lost Abbey distributes here, but as near as I can tell, rarities like this oak-aged, sour-cherry-soaked wild ale aren’t readily available (I’ve certainly never seen it around here). This was first released a few years ago to rapturous reviews, and by all accounts, the hype is well deserved (or maybe not, there’s always a dissenter). I got a hold of this bottle via that trade with Jay from Beer Samizdat that I’ve been lording over all my readers about for a month or so (don’t worry, only a couple beers left in that haul). My flirtation with the sick world of sour beers has slowly been solidifying into a more, uh, solid enthusiasm, and it’s beers like this that have fanned the flames:

Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale

The Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale – Pours a clear brown color with beautiful amber hues when held up to light, along with a finger of light colored head. Smells of earthy funk and a fruity, tangy sweetness. Maybe a little oak too. One of those beers that I was sniffing a lot, which would be really weird if I were in mixed company, but fortunately I felt free to explore the nose on this. Taste starts with a rich sweetness, some tart cherries and the lightest of sour twangs emerging in the middle, with some very well incorporated oak character rounding things out. Complex, but perfectly balanced flavor profile here. Mouthfeel is wonderful. Full, rich body tempered by ample carbonation, making this thing quite drinkable. Overall, this is among my favorite sours ever. A

Beer Nerd Details: 5% ABV bottled (375 ml, caged and corked). Drank out of a tulip glass on 9/30/12. Vintage 2012 C (I think that’s what the label sez, it’s a little smudged).

You know what this reminded me of? It seems like a more intense version of Rodenbach Grand Cru, which ain’t no slouch either (it’s got a Kaedrin A rating as well). This makes me want to beg, borrow, or steal some of those other rare Lost Abbey sours, like the Veritas beers, or Cable Car, or any of a handful of other rarities. Who knows what kind of success I’ll find on that quest, but in the meantime, I can always track down a Serpent’s Stout or other “regular” Lost Abbey ales…

Lost Abbey Deliverance

by

How is it possible that I’ve only had (and reviewed) two Lost Abbey beers since starting this blog? I’m really at a loss to explain this. I love me some Belgian style beers, and there are only a few American breweries that really specialize in that realm, so I’m not sure about the cause of my neglect. It’s not like the stuff isn’t readily available in my area, so I figure I should rectify this situation before the beer dork police knock down my door and confiscate my beer.

Lost Abbey shares its facilities (and staff, including head brewer Tomme Arthur) with Port Brewing and in a very real sense, they’re simply two different approaches taken by the same brewery. Lost Abbey is inspired by the monastic brewing traditions of Belgium, but since no actual Abbeys were harmedinvolved in the production of the beer, they called it a “Lost” Abbey. They’ve got quite a good reputation and a large catalog of beers that, again, I should really become better acquainted with…

And this looks to be a spectacular start – a blend of two other beers: bourbon barrel-aged Serpent’s Stout and brandy barrel-aged Angels Share (I’ve had the bourbon barrel-aged Angel’s Share on tap before, and loved it, even if I thought it was a bit hot).

Lost Abbey Deliverance

Lost Abbey Deliverance – Pours a very dark brown, almost black color with a practically non-existent head. The nose is full of caramel, oak, and vanilla, with plenty of booze – the bourbon and brandy are apparent. The taste delivers what the nose promises. Caramel, oak, vanilla, brandy, bourbon, and booze, booze, booze. Mouthfeel is smooth, thick, and chewy, barely carbonated… but there’s enough to make it palatable. Lots of hot booze and warming alcohol character, making this a beer I want to sip and savor slowly. Overall, a wonderful beer, perhaps even better than the simple Bourbon Barreled Angel’s Share (though that may be more due to the age or bottling than the blend). A-

Beer Nerd Details: 12.5% ABV bottled (375 ml caged and corked). Drank out of a snifter on 5/27/12. 2011 vintage.

I actually have a bottle of the bourbon barrel-aged Angel’s Share in the cellar. Given that I found it a bit “hot” on the first go around, I thought I’d give it some more time in the cellar. In the meantime, I certainly have a lot of other Lost Abbey beers to get through, so while I don’t currently have any in the pipeline, I’ll almost certainly be hitting some up this summer.

The Angel’s Share

by

When a distiller lays down a barrel of bourbon or scotch for aging, something strange happens. Some of the precious liquid is lost. It seeps into the wood and evaporates. Our friends in Kentucky and Scotland refer to this lost liquid as “The Angel’s Share”. As it turns out, when you barrel age beer, the same thing happens. But oh, it is so worth paying the Angels their share:

Lost Abbey The Angels Share

Lost Abbey The Angel’s Share – Pours a very dark brown color (I know the picture above looks kinda like chocolate milk, but I didn’t realize my new phone has a flash on it, so it looks brighter in the picture than it did whilst drinking) with minimal, quickly disappearing head. Smells strongly of caramel, oak, vanilla and bourbon. Taste is full of rich, sweet malts, maybe some dark fruitiness, that oak and vanilla, with the bourbon coming out in the middle and intensifying through the finish. The booze comes out more in the finish as well, along with a nice warming alcohol feeling. Mouthfeel is full bodied; super rich, almost syrupy but with just the right amount of carbonation. As it warms, the bourbon and booze become even more prominent. This is an outstanding beer, though I wish I had a bottle of it to lay down for a year or two. It’s really fantastic right now, but I imagine a slightly mellowed out version of this being near perfect. A-

Beer Nerd Details: 12.5% ABV on tap. Drank out of a snifter on 11/11/11.

It’s been a bourbon barrel soaked couple of weeks here at Kaedrin HQ. The above was an unexpected catch at a local beer bar’s anniversary celebration, but I’ve had a few other barrel aged wonders recently, and we’re rapidly approaching Dark Wednesday, when Victory will be releasing their Dark Intrigue (basically bourbon barrel aged Storm King stout). They did this last year too, and it sold out rather quickly. Apparently this is the last time they’ll be making this, so this is also my last chance to get some. I’m excited.

Lost Abbey Avant Garde

by

Given my shameless love of Belgian-style beer, I’m surprised that this is the first Lost Abbey beer I’ve ever had. They’re a West Coast brewery, but their stuff is still somewhat available out here, I’ve just never picked up anything from them. Until now! I didn’t actually know much about the brewery, but I know I like the Bière de Garde style of beer (despite not having really drank many examples), so I picked this up. The style name basically means “beer worth keeping” and such beers were historically brewed in farmhouses during the winter and spring for consumption in the summertime (i.e. they “kept” it until summertime because the yeast used for these beers didn’t work well in the heat of summer). I find these to be very similar to saisons in a lot of ways (though, as always, the boundaries between styles are somewhat fuzzy).

Of course, the Lost Abbey claims that this beer demonstrates their commitment to “brewing beers to no particular style”, but I don’t really know who they’re kidding with that. Styles are vague enough as it is, and this is pretty clearly a Bière de Garde.

Lost Abbey Avant Guarde

Lost Abbey Avant Garde – Pours a very pretty, hazy yellow/orange color with an ample head and some lacing as I drink. The head seemed to have larger than normal bubbles. Smells fruity and spicy, with that distinctive Belgian yeast coming through clearly. Taste is sweet and spicy with some fruity citrus notes to start, but a dry bitterness slowly establishes itself in the finish. Well carbonated and reasonably refreshing, it’s an easy drink. Not particularly a world-beater, but a quality brew and a nice first impression for me. B+

Beer Nerd Details: 7% ABV bottled (750 ml caged and corked). Drank out of a tulip glass on 4/9/11.

Again, a nice first impression of Lost Abbey for me. Looking forward to trying some more of their beers at some point, though I’m not really sure where to go next. Any recommendations?