Allagash Fluxus 2012

At Appalachian Vinter in Asheville, I picked up a bottle Allagash Fluxus 2012. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy and lofty white colored head that leaves specks of lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of lemon, Belgian yeast and spice, orange peel, peppercorn, and fresh cut grass. The taste is strongly laced with lemon on the front end with a peppercorn spice to hit. Belgian spices and yeast make an appearance with some orange peel and a grassy and earthy finish. The alcohol content is 7.7% ABV. This was a nice, light, and refreshing beer with lots of lemon and spicy peppercorn accent.

Terrapin-Shmaltz Reunion Ale '12

At Al’s of Hampden I picked up a bottle of the Terrapin-Shmaltz collaboration Reunion Ale ‘12. The beer pours a dark brown color with a foamy cream colored head. The aroma consists of cinnamon, coffee, toasted malts, vanilla, and chocolate. The taste is dry and filled with dark chocolate. Cinnamon dries the mouth out further before some vanilla shows up to sweeten out the flavor a bit. The alcohol content is 8.0% ABV. This was a decent beer and notably better than the ‘11 version of this beer. I can’t say I fell in love with it and would buy it again, but it was worth the try.

Marble Reserve Ale 2012

My buddy Chad brought a growler to share of Marble Reserve Ale 2012. The beer pours a dark amber color with a thin filmy white head. The aroma consists of cinnamon, raisin, Belgian yeast, and Belgian spices. The taste is smooth and sweet consisting of caramel and yeast. A bourbon tinge coupled with oak and vanilla finishes strong and leaves behind cinnamon on the tongue. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV. The spices in this beer mixed with raisin and bourbon really played well on the tongue, and the oak and vanilla flavors hung on for a long time. I completely enjoyed how complex and bold this beer was, and I recommend trying it if you get a chance.