2012 Spring Biere de Mars – Almanac Beer Company

7% ABV
Purchased at BevMo on Arden Way ($14.99/22 oz. bottle) and poured into tulip glasses.

This spring seasonal from Bay Area-based Almanac Beer Co. pours a bright, caramelized orange with a tight, white head, and an inviting nose of lemon zest, caramel, garden herbs, and a moderate amount of funk.  Lemon zest, fresh garden herbs, and caramel/bready notes fulfill the promise of the nose, with the very light body offsetting the full flavors, and a nice balance between the bitter and the sweet.  The addition of fennel complements the herbal tone of the beer, giving Biere de Mars depth without pushing it too far into novelty range.  Almanac’s Biere de Mars is light and drinkable, but also compelling and unusual and full of contradictions; it’s refreshing, but also a slow sipper, and probably too strong to pair with most foods. 

    4 Toasts

   4.5 Toasts