You would think that after tasting 12 different wood aged beers at the Bistro this weekend I would be tired of them. I thought I would be as well but I’m not. In fact, I have quite a few beers in the personal cellar that are wood aged but today, I will be reviewing Allagash Curieux.
Allagash is, in my opinion, one of the best brewers of Belgian-style ales in the world outside of Belgium. The great part is that they’re here in the United States. The bad part is they’re in Maine. Even though they’re thousands of miles away from where I am, Allagash is widely distributed and I picked up this bottle at my local BevMo.
Curieux is a Belgian-style triple that is aged in Jim Beam Bourbon barrels for 8 weeks in the Allagash cold cellars. After aging, the beer is moved to stainless steel tanks where they add another dose of yeast and candi sugar before bottling. The addition of extra yeast and candi sugars allows the beer to undergo a third fermentation within the bottle, carbonating the beverage naturally.
This beer pours out a cloudy golden color with a white head. Upon first opening, I detected what I thought was a slight brettanomyces funk but that quickly went away and didn’t return. Curieux has some fruit esters, such as pear and apple in the aroma as well as a peppery spiciness to it. Some sweet malt aromas are present as well but they’re buried beneath some wood undertones. As the beer warms, the alcohol becomes more apparent and a distinct bourbon character starts to rise through in the aroma that slowly becomes the dominant aroma. If you didn’t know, you’d swear you were holding a glass of watered down bourbon. Curieux has a slightly biscuity malt flavor with a peppery spiciness and fruit undertones. Slight vanilla flavors slowly creep into the show but the bourbon character from the JB barrels cannot be ignored. This beer has high carbonation and medium-high/high body.
Despite its lighter color, this is an 11% beer and should not be taken lightly. I honestly thought I would be able to get through an entire bottle and review the Firestone Walker 12 as well but, as I write, am still working on the first glass.
The Allagash Curieux sellsheet suggests pairing this beer with cheesecake or creme brulee, which I wholeheartedly agree. I would even go so far as to say this beer would pair well with cigars.
Curieux is as the name suggests; a curious beer. There is a lot going on with this beer on many levels and truth be told, it is not for the brew n00b or the unadventurous. I would suggest this beer to people who have an open mind and a love for distilled spirits. It is hearty, a definite sipping beer, and one to be enjoyed in the company of good friends. If this appeals to you, then go for it. Personally, I think I’ll be picking up another bottle to age for at least a year.
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This is one of my favorite beers! Came across it in BevMo a few years back and was very intrigued, being a avid whiskey drinker I had to try this and was not disappointed! I recently picked up a bottle of the 2007 batch and thought it fell a little flat compared to the batch i tried a year or so ago. Dont get me wrong, it was still delicious, however the first bottle i tried had a more profound bourbon flavor and characteristics which i really enjoyed! Hands down in my Top 5!
Cheers!
When it comes to beer and cheesecake, a big over the top California IPA is the only way to go. Racer 5 is my weapon of choice.
I really liked Curieux when I tried it, but like you said, it’s a big beer. I didn’t bother to check the bottle until after I had finished it. That was a rough trip to the Trappist, Hop 15, Curieux and Gouden Carolus Keizer blue. rough but tasty for sure.
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