The Bruery and Cigar City Marron Acidifie

Another day at the parents means another opportunity for me to break out one of the beers I left in their crawl space.  Who says parents are good for nothin' (jokes! just jokes I swear!)?  I picked this one way back in college and have been looking forward to it for a while now.  At a little over 3 years old, I figured it was time to open this one up.  Oh, and it's another Bruery beer.  Shocker.

The Bruery/Cigar City Marron Acidifie Collaboration

Appearance- A dark brown ruby color, rather hazy.  Small, bubbly, tan head that disappears almost completely leaving only a small circle around the glass and small patches.

Smell- Deep, rich smell of dark fruits, mostly cherry and currants.  Some slight vinegar tart character followed by vanilla and wood.

Taste- Smoother than I thought it would be.  The rich, dark fruits come through to give the beer a solid backbone.  Cherries and currants slowly mold into leather and tobacco undertones.  A slightly sour base begins to pick up in the middle and builds through the finish.  The finish of the beer spikes that sour and finishes much like a red wine with a noticeable wood flavor imparted from the barrel.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied with low carbonation.  Very dry finish with a mild sour.

Overall- Although this might not be a mouth puckering sour that some are looking for, but it makes up for that in its overall complexity.  Age seems to have melded together the flavors nicely.

2010 Three Floyds Dark Lord

Well, coming home for Thanksgiving means one thing... drinking all the beer I leave at my parents.  Over the years I gathered some things here, but unfortunately forget to get to much when I come home.  However, I figured it was time to open up the Darklord that some forgettable clown got for me.  Blah blah blah, some other bad joke of mine.

2010 Three Floyds Dark Lord


Appearance- An opaque motor oil black with very little tan carbonation.  There is a small ring around the glass with faint remnants of carbonation throughout.

Smell- Strong roasted/burnt malts.  Hints of coffee (brewed with Intelligentsia) with dark fruits of currants and plums.  A musty, maybe slightly oxidized scent that finishes with a strong alcohol.

Taste- The burnt malt isn't as strong or overpowering.  A slight chocolate malt and dark chocolate taste.  Strong acidic coffee with burnt dark currants.  Some small amounts of vanilla and bitter coffee finish.  A warming alcohol finish, but not harsh considering the high alcohol content.  A little time stowed away seems to have helped this one.

Mouthfeel- Thick and chewy body that coats the mouth from the first sip.  Minimal carbonation with a warming alcohol finish.

Overall- Although I never had a fresh beer to compare this to, I'm going to state that the age helped this one.  For such a big beer, very smooth.  Some oxidation seems to have crept in, but nonetheless, quite the graduation gift that paid off 4 years later.