Avery Review #3 - Avery, Allaghash, Dogfish, Lost Abbey, Sierra Repoterrior

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Oct. 5, 2011

Beer Number Three in the Avery Project here at 20 Beers in 20 Nights is not exclusively an Avery beer.  It is a collaboration from five of the top breweries in the United States; Avery of course, Dogfish Head, Sierra Nevada, Allagash and Lost Abbey.  The name?  Repoterrior.

Ingredients from the homes of each of these breweries were used to make the beer as well as the “full repertoire of skills from more than 86 combined years of brewing knowledge and skill” – hence the name, Repoterrior. 

It will only be available on tap, in the tap rooms of the five different breweries who helped produce it and from what I understand none of them will be allowing growler fills of it.  I can say with certainty that Avery does not as they don’t do any growlers.

I tasted this beer on two different occasions over the course of the last week and below is what I came up with, but first, the vitals:

Location: Avery Tap Room, Boulder, Colorado

Cost: $1 (Suggested Charitable Donation) - 4oz. taster

ABV: 5.5%

IBUs: 20? (speculated, but not confirmed - if you can confirm or correct let me know)

Brewery Location: Boulder, Colorado

Style: American Pale Lager

Average Beer Advocate Rating: C+/3.21 - Decent

My Beer Advocate Rating: C+/3.18 – Decent

Current Number of Reviews on Beer Advocate: 2

Brewery Description: NA

Tapped On: Sept. 10, 2011

APPEARANCE:  (2.5 out of 5) The glass arrived with a tiny, thin and wispy bit of foam resting on top of a very light orange-yellow beer with an odd greenish tint.  It was slightly hazy and the near complete lack of head translated into no lacing at all.

SMELL:  (3.5 out of 5) The nose is odd, much like the appearance, with some vegetable-like aromas along with a hint of mint.  I also may be crazy, but it was a bit spicy and herbal to me.  I’m not exactly sure where those aromas are coming from, but to my nose, they are certainly there and that’s not a bad thing.  A couple of people sitting near me, however, disagreed.  So maybe I was just completely nuts in this case.

TASTE:  (3 out of 5) OK, it is clear at this point; this is an unusual beer and as one might expect from an unusual beer, it has an unusual taste.  I can pick out some pickle-like flavor, a bit of mint and some honey.  Those flavors alone would certainly create an unusual beer, but what makes it even odder is the fact that they seem to have all been dropped into a crisp, slightly hoppy and faintly floral beer.

MOUTHFEEL:  (4 out of 5) The Repoterrior was light, crisp and despite the lack of head, it was a well carbonated beer.  Big bubbles sparkled and tickled the palate, the mouthfeel was very strong.  It also sat very lightly and as I mentioned above, it was very easy drinking.  The feel may have been the best aspect of this beer.

OVERALL:  (3 out of 5) If I had to pick one word to sum this beer up it would probably be: Meh.  While I understand that a ton of effort and thought went into this beer and I was impressed with the ability of these breweries to come together to create something as unique as the Repo, this seems to be a case of over thinking a beer.  It ended up being over-the-top and just too weird for me.  Maybe after time it would grow on me, and to be fair I would certainly snag another taster of it if Avery ever tapped another keg, but mostly because it truly is a unique and interesting flavor, not because I loved the beer.  So although odds are you will not ever get to try this beer, don’t feel too bad about it, you aren’t exactly missing Darklord or Pliny the Younger.