[erockrph]

I am cracking into my bottle from June 2012. Confluence is Allagash's dry-hopped/Brett-aged beer.

The nose has plenty of fruit complexity. I get Bretty pineapple along with pear and apple. There is some spiciness as well, leading to a bit of a mulled cider impression. I'm not getting much funk, maybe a hint of horsiness way in the back, but it's pretty much fruit all the way in the aroma.

On the palate the fruit is less assertive. I get some rustic, grainy malt throughout. There are overtones of fruit, earth and a little barnyard in the middle. The finish has a bit of a lingering resin and grass hop bitterness. There is some nice complexity here, and everything seems pretty well-balanced. Mouthfeel is on the thin side, but the carbonation helps round that out a bit. This is a really well-done Brett beer.

Given that this is a 2-year old beer, I was surprised that the hops held up so well (dry hops in particular). I was also expecting a bit more Brett character. No complaints, though, as the balance seemed just right. I have a bottle of the 2013 hanging around. I'm not quite sure to drink it sooner to see how the hops are when it's young, or sit on it longer to see if the brett develops more over time. These are life's tough decisions