Wine Enthusiast: 95
"Allagash Curieux was our first foray into barrel aging. Curieux is made by aging our Tripel Ale in Jim Beam bourbon barrels for eight weeks in our cold cellars. The aged beer is then blended back with a portion of fresh Tripel. The resulting beer is soft with coconut and vanilla notes, with hints of bourbon." —brewer
"Appearance: Mildy spritzy tiny bubbled head, dusty golden hue with some light haze.
"Smell: The alcoholic aroma of the tripel with wafts of bourbon wood (vanilla) and some mixed tropical fruit.
"Taste: Very smooth with a mellow but stiff alcohol character, warming with undertones of vanilla and ripe fruit. The woody character melds well with the hop bitterness and spiciness of the alcohol with a drying bite.
"Notes: Simply amazing. Amazing within the realm of barrel aged beer let alone doing it with a more delicate Belgian-style tripel." —Jason Alström, BeerAdvocate
"Curieux (French for curious) is a Belgian Tripel Ale aged in Jim Beam barrels for eight weeks. The nose is loaded with spice, citrus, banana and sour stone fruit with vanilla accents. Big and weighty in the mouth with a lush roundness provided by the elevated abv. While the alcohol is noticeable it's balanced by peppery spice and Bourbon notes mingling with stone fruit flavors. The moderate effervescence lightens the intense profile, leading through to a clean but lingering finish." —Lauren Buzzeo, Wine Enthusiast Magazine
