I really really enjoy everything about Lost Abbey. Lost Abbey is one of those names you hear in great East Coast beer bars that prompt looks from across the room. Their sour, barrel-aged and Belgian ales are some of the best in the world. Lost Abbey is not one of those breweries that focus on one particular style but instead focus on being generally awesome instead. I think their ten commandments perfectly sum up what they are all about:

  1. The most imaginative beers are our crusade
  2. We believe we are all in this together
  3. We strive for honesty and integrity in our lives like you
  4. Fresh beer is great, aged beer is better
  5. Now that you have found us help us spread the message
  6. There is good and evil in the world – our beers are good
  7. Passion isn’t something you can buy at the corner store
  8. We believe an inspired life is worth living
  9. Life is about choices, The Lost Abbey is a great choice
  10. We are not perfect, but no one is

Location: San Marcos, CA

Type: Production brewery

Available in DC Market: Yes (Limited Supply)

Sponsorship

Beer #1: Red Poppy (Flanders Red Ale, 5.5% ABV )

Beer Advocate: A- (311 Reviews)
Rate Beer: 100 Overall, 97 Styles

Notes: A traditional Belgian fruit ale that has been put through its paces by the creative team at Lost Abbey. Lots of sour cherries and plenty of oak as this one sits in barrels for six months. This is easily one of the best beers at SAVOR,  and I consider it a must try.

Beer #2: The Angel’s Share (American Strong Age, 12 %)

Beer Advocate: A (458 Reviews)
Rate Beer: 100 Overall, 99 Style

Notes: An absolute beast of a barrel-aged beer that ages well and opens up beautifully when poured into a snifter.  This American Strong Ale has a wide range of flavors including vanilla, molasses, plums, and other dark fruits. At 12% there is no easy way of masking the ABV, so the warmth from the alcohol should be anticipated; it’s a definite part of this beer.

Lost Abbey clearly understands SAVOR. Tomme and the crew could have easily brought over several of their off-the-shelf Saisons or Belgian ales that are by all means great but more common in their distribution area. Presenting their rare beers is something I know that the SAVOR crowd takes notice of and appreciates.

This profile is a part of the DCBEER.COM SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2011 SAVOR participants.

Beer Review Disclaimer: The beer reviews found on Beer Advocate and Rate Beer do not represent the opinions of this site. We provide these in the hope that they will serve as a resource showing what some craft beer fans have thought of the beers. These reviews can be a helpful guideline, but are not the be-all end-all about a beer’s strengths or weaknesses.