The Bruery Black Tuesday Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout

 

The Bruery Black Tuesday Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout. 2021 Edition. 

18.9 % ABV. 1 pint can. The Bruery, Placentia, California. 

Strictly ebon appearance, slim, soon gone brown head, full opacity. 

In the nose: char, ash, maple, caramel. Hint of smoke, touch of anise. Dark fruits, a little chocolate. Terrifically complex and deliciously deep. Wow. Wha-ow. 

In the mouth: much malt, vast richness, super sweetness (though not overly). Molasses, maple, deep, dark chocolate. Goes from Wow to Whoa. Dark rum, caramel, sweet and succulent. Powerhouse. This will be an excellent nightcap. 

Time for tiny little sips until bedtime. 

Born from arguably the most miserable day in the history of The Bruery, Black Tuesday quickly became legend and lore in the craft beer community. A 16 hour brew-day, overflowing mash, burns from scalding water and frustration resulted in the base for this now legendary Imperial Stout. Founder Patrick Rue was so angry with the beer that he condemned it to Bourbon Barrels for a year. The Result? The most decadent of ales, developing deep, warming notes of vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, bourbon, dark fruit and singed oak.

The Bruery Mocha Wednesday

The Bruery Mocha Wednesday. Imperial Stout, Bourbon-barreled, with cacao nibs and coffee.
19.2 % ABV. The Bruery, Placentia, CA.

Black as darkest night, absolute opacity, brief brown head.

In the nose: abysmal, in the grandest meaning. Bourbon barrel, cocoa, coffee, ashes, soot, embers, firewood at the bottom of the pit. Sweet and evil.

In the mouth: Everything's cranked up to eleven. Big on the chocolate, huge with the coffee, rich with the bourbon, and absolutely brimming with the booze. All the usual suspects are at play, running rampant on the palate. Thickness, richness, big beyond measure. Wow, wow, wow.

I feel like I haven't said enough. Maybe an extra Wow?

Mocha Wednesday is the perfect follow up to a Black Tuesday. We've taken our bourbon barrel aged imperial stout and added cacao nibs from San Francisco based TCHO along with freshly roasted coffee from OC's own Portola Coffee Lab. The result is an invigorating version of our popular stout; layered with notes of rustic dark chocolate and bold, fruity coffee beans.

I didn't know it was nearly 20% when I drank it. Holy crap.

The Bruery Oude Tart with Cherries

The Bruery Oude Tart with Cherries. 8.4 % ABV. 2014 Edition.
The Bruery, Placenta, Orange County, CA.

Dark, Burgundy hue, slim head, utterly opaque.

In the nose: Sour hits first, followed by cherries, dark malt, oak. Dark fruit, raisins, fig. Sharp, acidic, balanced, and beautiful.

In the mouth: Tart. Juicy. Dark fruits aplenty, rich and oak-edged. Cherries shine through. Intense sour. Full bodied, long sour, fruity finish. Vast complexity

This one was terrific, probably best shared with friends, though. I could not finish it entirely, and saved the last 2 ounces in the fridge. Couldn't pour it out. Saved for breakfast.

Thanks to Julie, again!

Oude Tart is a Flemish-Style Red Ale aged in red wine barrels. It’s pleasantly sour with hints of leather, dark fruit and toasty oak. While this is one of the more classic beer styles that we make, it’s not a style that you can find too often in the United States. Originating in style from the Flanders region of Belgium, near the French boarder, this dark, sour ale has roots deep in brewing history and predates most of the ales that have become popular in contemporary culture. We’re doing our best to keep the tradition alive by brewing and aging this beer here on the west coast.

Offshoot Beer Retreat Hazy Double IPA

Offshoot Beer Retreat Hazy Double IPA. 8.8 % ABV.
From your friends at The Bruery, Placentia, CA.

Haze for days. Bright orange glow. Sizable, lasting ivory head.

In the nose: bold citrus and tropical fruit notes. Orange, grapefruit, guava, pineapple, and the like.

In the mouth: Smooth and luscious. Just enough bitterness to keep me happy, and plenty of the pillowy that others seek. Big citrus flavors covers up the sweetness of the occasional tropical.
Medium bodied. Moderate, but present, bitterness. Slowly growing alcohol.


I tend to rag on the hazy, but when they're good, they're good. This one's good.

This hazy DIPA is brewed with a simple malt bill and hopped heavily with fruit-forward Mosaic, Cashmere
and El Dorado. Laced with delicate and aromatic tropical notes along with a bright berry medley and a crisp mouthfeel, it’s like diving into the Pacific on a 90 degree day. Seriously, nothin’ beats the heat, like Retreat.

Offshoot Relax Hazy IPA

Offshoot Relax Hazy IPA. 6.8 % ABV.
Offshoot Beer Company, Placentia, CA. (Subsidiary of The Bruery.)

So, this is what happens when a Belgian beer-based and sour-focused brewery is inundated with requests not just for an IPA, but the hazy kind that's all the craze these days. They create an Offshoot.

Thoroughly hazy, thick, milky, golden color, under a prodigious ivory head of meringue-ish foam, leaving lace.

In the nose: Bright, citrus-y hop notes at play, obfuscated only by the haze of the yeast at large.

In the mouth: Starts off big, bountiful hop presence on the palate, bold and citrusy, getting softer soon. Fades a touch, rounds out, dries a bit. Medium bodied, light finish. Easy come, easy go.
Very tasty, actually, and, you know, when it comes down to it, pretty damned delicious.

Relax [it’s just a hazy IPA] embraces the new way to enjoy IPA - unfiltered, fresh and full of hop flavor and aromatics... without the bitterness to stand in the way of kicking back with a juicy beer. It features a combination of Citra, Centennial, Simcoe and Amarillo hops, imparting fruity, tropical and citrusy notes to complement the round, soft mouthfeel of a hazy IPA.

The Bruery Jardinier

The Bruery Jardinier Belgian-style Pale Ale, Brewed and bottled by the Bruery, Placentia, California/

Bright golden color, slim ivory head, highly hazed.

Belgian yeast at play in the nose, musty and fusty, a little wild and funky. Hay, straw, and lemon. A little spice and ever so nice.

In the mouth it's fresh and flavorful, bright and lively. Citrus fruit flavors some spice, a little tart. Light hops, light malt, lean-bodied. It's exactly what it's supposed to be: a low alcohol, exquisitely drinkable, "table beer", for accompanying a meal or passing the day away.

On the label: "Jardinier, which is French for "gardener", is inspired by the fresh, sessionable beers on the Belgian dinner table. A perfect beer for any occasion, casual or ornate. Jardinier is best enjoyed fresh."

On the front: "A bright and flavorful table beer, with an assertive hop character."

Well, that says something. I think it "light hops", they call it "assertive." My threshold is high.

The Bruery 7 Swans-A-Swimming Belgian-style Quadrupel Ale

The Bruery 7 Swans A Swimming. Belgian-style Quadrupel Ale. The seventh verse of our Twelve Days of Christmas series of beers showcases the rich, malty character of a Belgian-style quadruple. Happy Holidays! Alc 11% by Vol.

Appearance: thick, murky, bordering purple and black, with a head that lasts a blink  and nothing more, not enough to stay so I can snap a pic.

Aroma: dark fruit, light spices. huge malt tones, suggesting sweetness, molasses, grapes, dates, tobacco…other stuff.

Taste: Sweet fruity flavors climb on board the palate first, rich and luxurious. Medium-bodied, nondescript finish, sweetness lingers a bit on the palate. The tasty, tasty malt is the main thing here. I wish there was more, though.

Why am I so greedy? Why do I demand something extraordinary, isn't that an outrageous conceit? I need that otherworldly, ethereal specialness …is that too much? Perhaps? But, this is The Bruery, and there are certain expectations.

It may be over 10%, it may be malt-forward, but it misses the mark with the Belgian flavor. It lacks that spark. Take that particular insistence of mine away, and it's a damned tasty ale that works for right now. Yeah, the more I forget that stuff, I can let what it is sink in and enjoy it. Why not?

The Bruery Six Geese A-Laying

The Bruery Six Geese A-Laying, Belgian-style Dark Ale with Cape Gooseberries. Alc. 11.5% by Vol. "The sixth verse of our Twelve Beers of Christmas saga incorporates tangy cape gooseberries into a subtle, Belgian-style dark ale. Happy Holidays!"

So, I'm off season with this one. My last visit to Wisconsin was in early December, and lo, and behold, there were still bottles of this when I returned two weeks ago. Well, as for me, it's always a good time for a Belgian strong dark, so let's dig in…

Appearance: dark, burgundy-hued, utterly opaque, with a slim head that dies down quickly.

Aroma: Tart fruit starts it off. I'm not that smart about gooseberries…what are they, berries that geese lay…is that why it's six geese a-laying? Well, I'm getting a bit of the cran
- and a whiff of the rasp- in that berry fashion.

Taste: Here it comes again, with dark, rich malt behind it. A little chocolate-y, caramel, toffee…stays just on one side of sweet, but firmly encamped in indulgence. Sweetness is staved off by the sour, the refreshing tartness those berries bring. The high alcohol has been staying shy..until now. Boom-lang-a-lang! Full-bodied, long finish.
And the flavor is what's doing it for me, for this one really does have the great, rich, deep and dark flavor of a Belgian strong dark ale, with the twist of the berries. I'm liking this more and more as I drink it in. It tastes oh, so, goose-y.

Tasty stuff. Mmmm, mmm, The Bruery, I like what you do-ery.

The Bruery Bois

I sort of yawned through the last couple bourbon barrel beers I tried. Can one from The Bruery continue with this trend? I sure hope not. Let's find out.

The Bruery Bois, (pronounced: "Bwah")Anno 2013 Anniversary, 100% Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels. CONTAINS ALCOHOL. (Good to know.) The Bruery, Placentia, CA. Orange County, CA. Alc. 15% by Vol. (Eeep!) And a lot of teeny, teeny type. I'll try to read it later.

We have a murky magenta look here, muddy, dusky brown that nears purplish. Slim tan head that slips down swiftly.

Let's smell it, already. Whiskey wakes you right up with this one. But there's lots of complexity below. Much richness. Vanilla and cherry, with cocoa tints and some molasses. Sweetness, a whiff of smoke, plenty of wood character, and a ton of balance. Starts intense and forceful, but begins to mellow in the mouth.

Let's taste this sucker: Big-time bourbon flavoring in this massive ale. Here'a a beer that needs a water back. Large showing of fig, date, raisin, other dark fruits. Fullest body, low bitterness, moderate sweetness, woody character. Some charcoal,

"This sturdy beer marks our fifth anniversary and we are grateful for the outpouring of community. Together may our supporters, our brewery, and this beer grow in complexity and refinement over the years."

Lovely sentiment, but that didn't tell me all that much. The back label copy doesn't deliver on the details, either, except that it calls it an "old ale." Well, there's something. One big-ass, bourbon-y old ale. Yum-alicious, I says.

This one does buck that trend, as there is great flavor and complexity beyond the effects of the barrel.

The Bruery Hottenroth Berlin Weiss Sour Wheat Ale

The Bruery Unfiltered Bottle-Conditioned Hottenrith Berliner Weisse, Barlin-style Tart Wheat Ale. "Sour = Yum!" Alc. 3.1% by Vol. Orange County, CA. "Brewed in memory of Fred & Sarah Hottenroth, this traditional ale can be served with raspberry or woodruff syrup, or simply enjoyed as is." No woodruff syrup on hand, I'm drinking this as is. Thanks to the low alcohol content, I'll be able to tackle this one solo with no trouble, and move on to another beer tonight. Another Berliner Weisse? Maybe.

So. Clear. Golden-hued. Smallish head that dies off quickly.

Aroma: Tart, sour notes at the front, with lemon and lime notes right behind. Plenty and citrus, vegetal, herbal, and just the right touch of cat pee. There, I said it. Refreshingly sour and pissy.

Taste: Bracingly tart at the front, tremendous puckeration, spicing the palate, flooding the mouth. Lean bodied, merest malt, heartier hopping, with sourness taking over all in the flavor profile. Piercingly sour on the palate, pausing after the sting for a blast of refreshment. Goes down very easy, if you're really into the sour. (Which, of course, I am.)

Let's see what the label informs us: "Our Berliner Weisse is suitable for aging up to one year when cellared properly…." Ah, it's all technical mumbo-jumbo, "Don't leave the yeast in your glass" and stuff like that, put it in a tulip, etc. etc. Gotcha pal, no problem.

Ah, I do like this. I'm still trying to peg this style, though I've never had a truly authentic version from Deutschland. The last one I had from Three Floyds was outrageously tart, this one seems slightly less so. Next up, I'm trying another, this one still not authentically teutonic, more locally brewed.

The Bruery White Oak

The Bruery White Oak, 50% ale, 505 ale aged in bourbon barrels. Some descriptions on the front that I'll read later. Orange County, CA.

Appearance: clear and brilliantly golden, pure white head, lace-leaving and lasting.

Aroma: Bourbon hits the nose first, raw whiskey notes roaring out, with oak and vanilla flavors dominant. Slight sweetness, with a sour edge.

Taste: Again, whiskey hits first on the palate, major sweetness, big-time vanilla, over-arching oak, with caramel-y sweet tones below that. Minor hop presence, with a creeping alcohol content. Let's peek at that label. 11.5% ABV. Uff-da.
Sharp, slightly acidic, and intensely alcohol, brimming with bourbon. I'm not sure what the base beer is supposed to be, so I will cheat and read the label now, both sides.

"Vivid caramel-esque, coconut-like, and vanilla-ish flavors blanketed in a crisp yet robust wheat ale." Hmmm, I didn't quite get the wheat, but now that you mention it. And I think the blanketing is the other way around, all those flavors blanket the base, not vice versa. There's more gobbledy on the back, isn't there?
"White Oak is suitable for aging up to two years when cellared properly. Best stored and cellared…blah, blah, blah…pour carefully, enjoy in a chalice…blah, blah…"

I've got to take these down solo, so I can take these notes and notch it off my list, add it to the repertory of the blog. But it's the sort of thing I wish I had multiples of, waiting in the fridge to share with friends. Next time I see this I'll grab an extra one, just for that purpose. I've enjoyed every Bruey brew I've tried, and this was no exception. Another distinctive triumph.

The Bruery Sour in the Rye

The Bruery Sour in the Rye. Been sitting in the Dedicated Beer Fridge for months. tonight's the night. Gonna be all right. Ain't no body gonna stop me now.

Sour rye ale aged in oak barrels. Deliciously sour, bursting with spicy rye notes and hints of oak from the barrels it was aged within.

Clear, copper/amber coloring, slim to no head, small ring of white foam.

Aroma: Ah! Belgian wild, Belgian funk, Belgian sour, all up in here. A little bit of fruit, but so much of the above. Whoa! Ahhh. It's everything you wanted, and more.

Taste: hot bite of sour up front, nothing but the tart, crazy tart, funky tart, wild tart. Lean body, clean flavor, continual bite after bite, with a slightly spicy malt kick. Cherry and berry, a little apple, with a vinegar twist. Big and bountiful, lean and funky, all that in one. Deeee-licious.

Bright, flush, fervent flavor. Resounding sourness. Belongs up there with the best of them. Wow. This is a wicked, wonderful mess. Love it.

The Bruery 5 Golden Rings

The Bruery 5 Golden Rings. "Belgian-style golden ale brewed with pineapple juice and spices. The fifth verse of our "Twelve beers of Christmas" saga incorporates sweet, cake- like spice into a rich and robust golden ale. Happy Holidays!"

Famille Rue, Unfiltered, bottle-conditioned.

Hazy, unfiltered orange appearance, long-lasting, lovely white head. An attractive little number.

Aroma: the airy eminence of the golden ale is here, with the sweet, lofty spice that comes with it, very much in the style of Duvel. Yeast at work in the nose, and not a little bit of fruit. Not too much, just enough, for some beautiful balance.

Taste: On the tongue, the pineapple comes raging through. Not the least bit subtle, either, it's fully in effect, large and in charge. Big hits of sweetness from the fruit. Bit too much for my taste, takes us far away from the golden ale promised in the nose.
Medium-bodied, long, fruity finish. An almost over-bearing sweetness that is mixed with hits of sour, as well. But the sweet fruit takes over.
The pineapple essence is far too strong for my taste, driving the drinkability factor down a peg or two.

I'm not getting the "cake-like spice", and the sweetness seems to come completely from the pineapple. Didn't notice the ABV, but it's starting to peek through.

11.5% ABV, it seems. Okay, that makes sense. Pretty big stuff.

I get it. 5 Golden Rings, like a golden ale, but, hey, what else is golden and comes in rings, sometimes? Pineapple, right? Doesn't mean it works, flavor-wise. Once the pineapple flavor washes down the throat, along comes the booze. Not an entirely perfect blend.

On the back label, we are told that it is suitable for aging for up to seven years, soon after the release of Twelve Drummers Drumming. So, sometime in 2019, it'll be good for a vertical. Perhaps. But, right now, I'm not thrilled with this. But, I will finish it.

(Editor's note: I didn't.)

The Bruery Oude Tart

The Bruery Oude Tart Flemish Style Red Ale Aged in Oak Barrels.

Deep burgundy hue, dark red, with a slim, soon-gone head.

Aroma speaks up form the first minute, spilling out sour fruit, matched with sweetness, a beautiful blend. Just a touch of vinegar, a magnificent marriage of sweet and sour.

Taste: Bam! boom! Mmmm. A great flash of sourness, an intense puckeration that outreaches many other sour red ales. And the vinegar rises up, as well. Big, fresh, intense, and amazing.

This one is just about a match for Rodenbach or any of the better Belgian Flemish reds. Not a damn thing wrong with it. In fact, I love it. Mmmm, mmm, good.

"Pleasantly sour with hints of leather, dark fruit, and toasty oak from extended aging in oak barrels."

The Bruery Autumn Maple

The Bruery Autumn Maple, Belgian-style Brown Ale Brewed With Yams, Molasses, Maple Syrup and Spices. Alc. 10% by Vol. "We don't need pumpkins in our beer! Big, bold, spicy, and oh, so yammy, our delicious brown ale is perfect for those cold autumn nights."

Appearance: dark ruby red, nearing on brown, with a large, lovely, bilious head of lacy foam.

Aroma: Deep and malty, with a particularly Belgian brown ale kick. Reminded of some of my favorite Belgian strong darks, like Nostradamus or St. Bernardus. Not picking up any particular fruit, vegetable or spice, though.

Taste: Mmmm. Maybe there's yams in here, somewhere, but they don't comes out in the first taste. Molasses, that I can get, brown sugar, maybe. and maple, too, yeah. Building in sweetness as we go, as well as alcohol. Mild hops, abated sweetness. Full-blown body and flavor.

And, yeah, I spoke too soon, now, just now, not before, not then, but now, I'm tasting the vegetation. Deep and malty and sweet. Unmistakably Belgian. Definitely delicious. Love it. Warming, and wonderful and yum.

The Bruery Four Calling Birds Winter Ale

The Bruery 4 Calling Birds, Dark Ale Brewed With Spices.  Alc 11% by Vol.

"The fourth verse of our "Twelve Beers of Christmas" saga incorporates gingerbread-like spice into a a rich and robust dark ale. Happy Holidays!"

wait, there's more!  "4 Calling Birds is suitable for aging up to eight years (soon after the release of Twelve Drummers Drumming") when cellared properly…and blah, blah, blah…I'm not waiting 8 years, I'm drinking it now. Eight years. Never done that. Maybe someday. But, not now.

Pours a dark brown, with a bustling tan head that zips down to nada in no time.

Nicely spiced aromatics, some cinnamon, clove, ginger a little. Okay, maybe a lot. With sweet malt, lightly roasted, below. Lovely, lovely stuff.

Tasting it, spice notes rank highest on the palate, ring loudest, and start out hot. Fairly bristling in the mouth, some pepper playing around, clove ginger, etc. Solid malt holds steady below. Mighty malt, thick in the mouth, turning cool and mellow. Mmmm, I'm liking this one better. Seeming one-dimensional and blase at first, it's growing in complexity now. Not quite as rich as an Imperial Stout, but lots of molasses, dark rum, cocoa. Malt and spice mix well, now. 

Alcohol is hidden for the time being, but it won't be long before it comes ring-ding-dinging on down. …yep, it's happening. We're down to the last couple ounces, and the clanging chimes of doom are ringing. 

Beautiful birds, these, dark and spicy. Very satisfying. Not sure if I could, or would…or anyone should, sit on this for eight years. Go for it, though, guys. Sit on it like hens. Wait, that was the last one, right?

The Bruery Orchard White

Finally getting around to The Bruery's flagship brew, the Orchard White witbier.

The Bruery Orchard whie, Belgian-style Ale, Brewed with spices, where & oats, " our unparalleled California White Ale offers flavors of fresh citrus, bready wheat, and a hint of lavender. Enjoy!" Orange county, CA.
Alc. 5.7 % by vol.

Clouded whitish color,golden, big white head, long-lasting, lace-leavng. Very lovely.

Aroma: gorgeous, utterly, superlative loveliness, sweet and flowery, soft and fruity, plentiful orange and coriander….sweet and purity. Ahhh….

Taste: pretty note perfect for the style. Big time orange and lemon, plenty of coriander, lots of citrus and spice. Tons of Belgian yeast yumminess. Vibrant and refreshing, consummately consumable. Little wonder this is such a hit.

This one, no surprise, was a non-stop joyful experience. The shock would be to find a Bruery beer that didn't deliver in every way, or hit my lips with some new delight. The quest continues.

The Bruery Saison de Lente

Here's something from the Wisconsin haul I know I'm going to have no issue with. Or maybe, there's yet a Bruery "brue" that doesn't blow me away?

The Bruery, Famille Rue, Unfiltered Bottle Conditioned, Saison De Lente, Belgian-style saison ale. A decorated egg rests behind the word "de", and green rabbits bound across a pink backdrop. A pastel, pastoral design, meant to evoke the sights and symbols of Easter. Well, there it is right on the front label description which I try to avoid reading before I drink, in order to escape having suggestions of descriptions entering my brain. "…this saison of Spring is perfect for warmer weather and Easter celebrations." Well, it's getting warmer now, so let's dig in.

Clear and golden appearance, majestic ivory head. Looks beautiful and inviting.

Aroma, lightly spiced, airy, minor citrus notes. None too boisterous, but perfectly pleasant.

Taste: fresh, vibrant, and zesty. Slightly sour, lactic component, followed by clean refreshment. Further sips in, the flavor gets bigger, louder, brasher, makes a bit more noise in the mouth. Mouthfeel widens, spice grows, lemon looms. More and more tactile on the tongue, more and more as we go.

Long and lovely finish, light/medium body, exquisite consumability (my new replacement for "drinkable"), consummate refreshment. Another delight from The Bruery. Mmmm, mmm.

The Bruery Mischief

This might be the last one from the Wisconsin haul. Time to go back! Since Dogfish Head has pulled out and Stone is here in Minnesota now, I'll probably turn to more Wisconsin brews I haven't had. And probably more Bruery, too, although it won't be long til they're on our local shelves.

But. The beer. Here are the notes...

The Bruery Mischief, Unfiltered, Bottle Conditioned, Belgian-style Ale Golden & Hoppy, Not quite evil, yet not to be trusted, this Golden Ale is effervescent, dry, hoppy and crisp., …you'll want to keep an eye out."

Yet another twist on the devilish tradition of naming Belgian ales after something less than angelic, shall we say. This one looks fantastic, tremendous head, huge, pillowy, lace-leaving, lovely, a glorious pudding on top.

Aroma: a masterpiece, again. Soft, beautiful, lightly spicy, coriander, pepper, …fantastic.

Tasting it: yum. Perfection. Yeast aplenty, lush golden malt, light hops, considerable alcohol….really absolutely, wonderful. Not a flaw, not a failing, a constant deliverance of deliciousness. I have no smoke to blow up their skirts, I just find their every effort utterly impeccable.

Don't know how much better it can get than this. You tell me. I don't know.

The Bruery Trade Winds

Famille Rue The Bruery Unfiltered Bottle Conditioned Trade Winds Tripel, Belgian-style ale, brewed with rice and thai basil. This Belgian and Southeast Asian inspired Tripel brings spice from the East and yeast from the West. Choc-tee! (Cheers in Thai) Orange County, CA. Alc. 8.1% a.b.v.

Clouded, rusty gold, showing a bit clearer at the edges. Triumphant, exuberant head, snowy white, lacy.

Beautifully fragrant, lightly spicy, floral, airy, with lemony traces. Gorgeous.

Drinking, the loveliness lives on. Lean-bodied, snappy, plenty of spicy tricks playing on the palate. Very lively, with marvelous Belgian yeast flavor adding another dimension of deliciousness. Citrus fruit factor grows larger, and candy sugar sweetness climbs in to match it. Just stays vibrant and tasty all the way through the bottle.

Great match for thai food, I'm sure. Don't know, I had it with Chinese. Worked there, too. Excellent tripel. Is simply everything they make this good or better?