Hi guys.  How’s it going?  For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying another collaboration brew.  It’s called the Escoffier and it’s made by Brewery Vivant from Grand Rapids, Michigan and the New Belgium Brewing Company located in Fort Collins, Colorado.

I’ve had a few beers from Brewery Vivant, however I’ve only had two beers from the rather popular New Belgium.  For some reason they are not distributed in my area.

I found the commercial description of the Escoffier from, breweryvivant.com, but you guys should check out newbelgium.com also to see some of what they have to offer.

Escoffier is our much heralded collaboration with New Belgium Brewing in Ft. Collins, CO. Coinciding with their entry into Michigan, this project began with a friendly meeting at our pub. After a few beers and some food, the idea to brew a beer together started to take shape.

Auguste Escoffier is considered the master chef of the 20th century. His ideas and methods left an indellible imprint on the culinary world, and are still in use to this very day. We named our beer ‘Escoffier’ to celebrate the relationship between great food and excellent beer, and how they elevate each other when enjoyed together. If you’ve ever visited our pub, this is the cornerstone of what we try to accomplish.

Ok.  Let’s have a drink.

This brew came in a 16 oz. can and it had an ABV of 9.25%.

It poured a clear, light cherry to amber color.  The cap was off white, fizzy and soapy, and not particularly large. The retention time was slight.  As was the lacing.

The bouquet was very light.  It did have a some meager hints of funk and yeast as well as some pleasant fruity tones of cranberry though.  It was only a little bit tart smelling, yet it seemed to be balanced well.  Overall, it was somewhat simplistic, but not too bad.

The flavor was, again, a touch on the subdued side.  Still it wasn’t bad though.  Savors of fruity cranberry with a solid malty backbone.  The yeast and funky “bugs” were toned down, however they did become a bit more prominent as it warmed and settled.  It wasn’t so much tart or sour either.  Just a little inkling to keep me interested.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied.  Mostly smooth with just a touch of sharpness on the back end.  It was also a bit crisp and somewhat refreshing.  That seemed crazy for a beer that had an ABV of 9.25%.  The carbonation was a nice medium strength and only the most minor amount of warmth was felt long after the swallow.  A decent shot of flavor was left on the palate after the consumption too.

Overall, this was a pretty nice beer.  It’s not really like the typical Sour/Wild Ales that I’ve tried in the past, but it’s solid enough and definitely worth a try if you can acquire a can.  I know I wouldn’t mind having it again that’s for sure.  I really appreciate Brewery Vivant and New Belgium for creating the Escoffier.  I think it’s great that they are willing to share ideas so we can benefit from it.  Maybe they will do more of these type of things and maybe I will be fortunate enough to fetch a few cans.  With that being said, if you guys have ever tried the Escoffier let me know you thoughts.  I’d love to hear another opinion.

Thanks for reading and commenting everyone.  I really appreciate it.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  3.7 out of 5

Grade:  B