Solid Oak Aging: Allagash Musette

Bottled: December 2006
Sampled: Nov. 25, 2010

I know not of young Musette, nor does its elder make me care.

Three years after its purchase, four years after bottling, it’s finally Musette time. This oak-aged beauty from Allagash is the last remnant from a Labor Day 2007 trip to Chicago that reunited old friends and netted me a fling with a wonderful girl. All the while, the Musette waited patiently, moved between two houses yet never left its dark confines.

But the time has come, and as the oldest item in my cellar, its overdue for pouring.
Allagash mixed up the wood it used to age this series, and Musette won the draw when I had once to choose on that Friday in Chicago.

The nose storms out like an Abt 12 or a Chimay Grand Reserve, with notes of chocolate and a subtle nuttiness as a backdrop. It strong resembles the aged versions of those beers. Wedged between the chocolate and nuts is a solid footing of grain and creaminess. For its ruby color, the oak is the dominant flavor. It makes a bold statement, showering the strong ale (10 percent ABV) in sparks of wood opens up new dimensions.

I thought the oak-aged trend had passed me by - every brewer who could find an unused barrel poured beer into it. But Allagash’s attention to detail and ability make it an ale for the ages. I’m not disappointed for lacking a young bottle of Musette, since the oak takes at least a few months to calm down.

For as light in colors Musette runs, it shares incredibly complex characteristics with a quadruple-style Belgian ale. The oak herds those flavors into a smooth whole, taking some unruly notes such as molasses and a touch of root vegetables and tamping them down. They lurk beneath but never supersede the oak veneer.

Musette makes the case for letting oak-aged creations sit and wait. It also proves Allagash's skill at crafting beer built for the ages.