Recently while shopping at my local beer store, I picked up a small 330 ml flip-top bottle of Spike & Jérôme’s Cuvée Délirante, previously reviewed on draft by Mike. The beer is a collaboration from Georgia’s Terrapin and Switzerland’s Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes (BFM), and is described as a Rum Barrel aged Rye Barley Wine. Enjoying most Barleywines in general, and barrel aged beers as a whole this sounded like one worth trying.

While this is not a particular favorite style, it excited me to hear it had a a bit of a sourness to it. Out of the bottle, it poured virtually flat into my tulip glass. I tried to get some head on the beer but was not successful at all. The body itself looks murky brown with some mahogany hues in the light. The aroma is particularly interesting as it hits with some nice grape aromas, oak and caramel malts. There is a slight vinegar note to the scent as well with the rum and alcohol coming in towards the back.

The taste follows the nose fairly well. It is a nice change of pace from traditional English Barleywine. There’s a nice tart element up-front but it still has some fruity elements to it. Grapes, oak, caramel and dark malts, and rum can be detected mid-palate, but it leaves you with a tart dry feeling in the finish.

While it’s sort of hard for me to see this falling within traditional guidelines of a Barleywine, it still has enough elements to steer it there but the sour/tart flavors give this a unique spin. It is a nice collaboration ale and I highly recommend grabbing one at least to try. And considering it’s a 330 ml bottle, it’s not too hard to finish off on your own.

Rating

89
out of 100