Birthday Beers!

My birthday was the other day and instead of hitting a great bar like last year (we went to Farmer's Cabinet), Jo and I decided to go to an awesome BYOB and bring a couple of my many beers to open. And, man, what a great decision. The dinner at Modo Mio was freaking delicious and the beers went perfectly. The first we opened was The Bruery Oude Tart, a Flanders Red Ale.

What an aroma! Acetic with some caramel and hints of funk in the back. Jo thought the funk was a little odd but I felt like it was exactly what you'd expect from an Flanders Red style sour. Started with some tart cherry which was followed by light vinegar and caramel sweetness. The vinegar wasn't as strong in the flavor as in the aroma but the right balance was still struck between it and the sweetness. Just really delicious. I've read they do a sour cherry version which must be awesome. Too bad we'll probably never see it around here.

The other beer we opened was a 2006 BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien, a Biere de Garde. I bought this when we were in St. Louis with the intention of drinking it on this birthday. We bought a bottle at Farmer's Cabinet for my 30th last year so I thought it would be a fun thing to repeat.

That's the bottle we opened this year. Compared to last year, it looks a little cloudier.

No basket this year though. The nose on this was mostly sour vinegar with some sharpness. Body followed with tartness and dark fruit followed by a sharpness of alcohol. Not nearly as balanced as the Oude Tart but maybe the 6 years on it didn't do it any favors. Hard to say. Still decently tasty though.

Going to BYOBs is really great when I'm looking to try some great beers in the basement. Last time we went to Modo Mio I opened a Splinter Blue with a Weyerbacher Rapture and this time wasn't a slouch either. Great food and great beer. Not much is better really.