Columbus
Vintage bottle (Best by 05/02) Purchased by my friend, a former employee of the foodery who sometimes gets chances at various vintage brews for a cheap price. This one was a real winner. Best by May 02' my arse! Poured into a wide-mouthed California crystal wine glass (I'm really beginning to love these glasses for almost all beer styles, and especially Belgians) Dark glowing orange, a bit muddy, but with nice thick off-white head, that leaves some nice lacing patterns as well. Carbonation is thick, with big bubbles getting caught in the sludgy sediment on their way up to the top of the glass. Aromas are funky, some carboard and definate signs of ocidation, but almost in a good way, this brew begins to assert some wild yeast character even though no wild yeasts were used. Very wet, hay-like and bretty in the aroma, almost like a 2 year old Orval. Sweet. So yeah some lambicy notes, and some lactic sour tart, but nothing over the top, sometimes oxidation improves a beers character, this is definately one of those cases. Taste is barnyard and funkiness. Wet hay, and some oats, as well as spicy/zesty Belgian yeast flares, and some soggy hops, also some herbal tea and spice hints as well. Mouthfeel is creamy, and coating, almost too much with all of the yeast floaties, but still doable, and fine. Not bad at all. Drinkability is good as well, but towards the end of the glass some bad over-aging notes begin to intrude on the orval funk fest this vintage bottle started out as. Overall a funky, past-its-prime-but-oh-so-good sample of one of my favorite Dutch beers. This 5-6 year old bottle is much better than fresh bottles, but I have to give a fresh draft sample procured in Amsterdam the nod as the best though. Good stuff.