Review – Avery Fifteen (1 Year Later)

From Avery Brewing – 15 years of brewing! You know what’s been the best part lately? Tons of experimentation! For the last couple of years, we’ve been working with several strains of brettanomyces (wild yeast). We found one and deemed it the best for it’s tart flavor and funky, fruity aroma. Adding black mission figs for a subtle jammy aspect, hibiscus flowers for an herbal bouquet and hazy sunset hue, and white pepper for a bit of spicy twang, we’ve created FIFTEEN – a unique drinking experience inspired by the wild farmhouse ales of Belgium. Though immensely complex today, more flavor will emerge with time, so throw a few bottles in your cellar for future celebrations.

Avery Brewing Co. – Fifteen (1 Year Later) – 22 oz. bottle Poured into a goblet. From TheFullPint.com cellar.

Appearance: Pours a yellow gold with a white head that subsides to almost nothing. The body is clear, with some tiny yeast particles flying around, and a few rising bubbles.

Aroma: Of note, I could smell the funk from 2 feet away after pouring into my glass.  Strong brett, including hoofy barnyardy goodness, hay and rain water, and wet dog.  Getting closer to the beer, I smell sweet fruits, figs, citrus, and honeydew.  I also smell a decent amount of spices, cloves and nutmeg in there.

Taste: Bitter hops, metal, funky bready yeast, figs. Finishes really dry and rusty. I don’t eat as much rust as I used to, but believe me…rusty.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, a little juicy.

Overall: I enjoyed this a little more fresh last year.  Some bitterness really popped out of this one.