I’ve been looking back on my night at Crescent & Vine through the warm caramel hues of Allagash Curieux—it’s making things a little hazy. I knew I had to check out this cozy wine and beer bar after Brian from Fatty’s (which is right next door) told me that the Curieux was on tap for a limited time. Why all this for one beer? It is, in my opinion, one of the best. The fact that it is smooth, warming, and slightly sweet with hints of vanilla and coconut should come as no surprise, seeing as how Allagash ages this brew in Jim Beam barrels.
In bourbon barrels you say, isn’t that odd? Not really, dear reader, aging beer in oak barrels that have previously stored wine, bourbon, whiskey, or scotch is a process that isn’t new to brewing but in the recent get-beer-sell-beer-cheap market it has just kind of been ignored. The makers of Glenlivet discovered that by aging beer in the scotch barrels they could create the delectable smoothness of Innis&Gunn, while up in Maine the folks at Allagash were getting curious too.
Allagash began in 1995 as a one-man brewery—just one dude trying to fill a hole in the U.S.’s beer market through innovative techniques and traditional Belgian styles of beer.
Curieux (or curious in French) is the first in Allagash’s line of barrel-aged beers. It is a Belgian Tripel Ale aged in Jim Beam barrels for 8 weeks and it clocks in at 11% a.b.v.
I first tried this beer about three years ago and have been obsessed ever since. It can be a rather expensive habit in the city, 750 ml bottles can go up to around $60 and it’s rare to spot it on tap. Thank the beer gods that I live in Astoria! I have found 750ml bottles for $36 (at Sanford’s diner of all places) and now on tap at C&V.
I rolled into Crescent and Vine on a Monday night with a motley crew after having just spent the entire day at Spa Castle, courtesy of my boss (yeah it was pretty great). Thanks to the endless saunas and Jacuzzis, we arrived starving, our bodies languid and sweaty, and fully ready to undo all of the detoxing that had just occurred. Wade, our server, brought menus to the table and with a fiendish glint in his eye mentioned that there was a special beer missing from the list: Crescent & Vine had one keg of Curieux. Thank you, Wade, a round for the table please. It arrived in proper glassware and sat in front of me, glowing seductively in the candlelight. The music and dimly lit atmosphere lent a sexy, relaxed tone to the night and the cozy table allowed our conversations to flow. Our table filled quickly: cheese and meat plates, bruschetta, amazing paninis, and more beer. It was about this time that things began to blur together, conversations got a bit odd, and I began to feel as though I had followed Alice down the rabbit hole. My notes, like my memory of the evening, are slurred and almost unsalvageable. Please remember what I told you before, dear reader, the Curieux is 11%. And it goes down way too pleasantly.
The Vine also has a few other gems on tap—offerings from Troegs, Victory, and Chimay—and I am told their wine list is lovely as well, however I honestly don’t remember reading it and, like I said before, my notes are of absolutely no use. I sent my roommate a few days ago and he assured me that yes, it was a good time and yes, Wade picked out awesome beers for the table based on their tastes and cravings. I am already trying to plan another adventure at C&V before the Curieux keg kicks and I encourage you all to do the same. Don’t forget to ask what special beers are on tap but not on the menu.
Crescent & Vine is also showing the World Cup.
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