Allagash Curieux 4Pk

Allagash Curieux 4Pk is a bourbon barrel-aged Belgian-style tripel from Portland, Maine, bottled at 10.2% ABV in a four-pack of 12 oz bottles. Scoring 95 points on BeerAdvocate from over 4,000 ratings, Curieux has earned a reputation as one of the most respected barrel-aged Belgian ales produced in the United States.

Quick Facts: ABV: 10.2%  |  Origin: Portland, Maine, USA  |  Style: Bourbon Barrel-Aged Belgian Tripel  |  Brewery: Allagash Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Allagash Brewing Company, founded in 1995 by Rob Tod in Portland, Maine, built its name on Belgian-inspired ales brewed in the American Northeast. Curieux begins life as Allagash Tripel, brewed with a grist of Allagash 2-Row Malted Barley Blend and local pale malt. The beer is then aged in bourbon barrels for approximately seven weeks in the brewery's cold room, where each of the roughly 200 barrels in a given batch is individually tested during aging. After barrel maturation, the aged beer is blended back with a portion of fresh Tripel — a step that distinguishes Curieux from many barrel-aged beers that go straight from barrel to package and gives the final product a balanced interplay between bourbon character and bright Belgian yeast expression.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Warm bourbon and toasted oak lead, followed by ripe banana, vanilla, and a whisper of coconut. Underneath, classic Belgian tripel aromatics — clove, cinnamon, and a faint citrus peel — stay present without being overwhelmed by the barrel influence.

Taste: The entry is smooth and slightly sweet, with vanilla and coconut arriving first alongside soft oak tannins. Mid-palate, the Belgian yeast character asserts itself with banana, lemon zest, and peppery spice. The peak brings together bourbon warmth, a touch of cinnamon, and subtle stone fruit, all carried by a deceptively light malt backbone for a beer at 10.2% ABV.

Finish: Medium-long, with lingering vanilla, a gentle bourbon heat, and dry spice that fades cleanly. The blending with fresh Tripel keeps the finish from becoming overly heavy or tannic, leaving an impression of balance rather than brute barrel strength.

How to Drink Curieux

Curieux is best served at cellar temperature, around 50–55°F, in a tulip glass or Belgian goblet to concentrate its complex aromatics. Pouring it too cold will mute the bourbon barrel character and Belgian spice. For cocktail-adjacent serves, try using it in a Tripel Float with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a decadent dessert pairing, in a Beer-tail Shandy blended with fresh lemon juice and honey for a bright warm-weather drink, or as a base for a Bourbon Barrel Michelada where the oak and vanilla notes complement tomato, lime, and hot sauce in an unexpected way.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who appreciates barrel-aged complexity
• After-dinner sipping alongside a cheese board or rich dessert
• Sharing with friends during a curated beer tasting flight
• Cellaring for special occasions — the high ABV allows for some aging potential

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Curieux taste like? Curieux delivers prominent vanilla, coconut, and bourbon warmth layered over a Belgian tripel base of banana, clove, cinnamon, and citrus. The blending with fresh Tripel keeps it balanced and drinkable despite its 10.2% ABV.

How does Curieux compare to Unibroue La Fin du Monde? Both are strong Belgian-style tripels with complex spice and fruit character, but Curieux distinguishes itself through bourbon barrel aging that adds coconut, vanilla, and oak notes absent from La Fin du Monde's purely yeast-driven profile. Curieux also runs slightly higher in ABV at 10.2% compared to La Fin du Monde's 9%.

Is Curieux good for sipping neat? Curieux is ideally suited for slow, contemplative sipping at cellar temperature, where its layered barrel and yeast character can fully develop in the glass. Its smooth body and restrained carbonation reward patience as it warms slightly.

Where is Curieux made? Curieux is brewed and barrel-aged entirely at Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. The brewery has focused exclusively on Belgian-inspired ales since its founding in 1995.

What foods pair well with Curieux? Aged Gouda or Gruyère complement the vanilla and oak notes; crème brûlée mirrors the caramelized sweetness and bourbon warmth; roasted pork belly stands up to the beer's richness; pecan pie echoes the nutty, vanilla barrel character; and sharp blue cheese creates a satisfying contrast with the residual sweetness.

What sizes does Curieux come in? Curieux is available in a four-pack of 12 oz bottles, which is the standard retail format for this expression.

Is Curieux worth the price? Curieux positions as a premium craft offering within the bourbon barrel-aged category, and its 95-point BeerAdvocate score, labor-intensive barrel-by-barrel testing process, and careful blending technique support its place above standard Belgian tripels in both complexity and value.

Why Curieux?

What separates Curieux from the crowded field of barrel-aged beers is the discipline of its blending process. Rather than simply dumping aged beer out of bourbon barrels and bottling it, Allagash tests every individual barrel during the seven-week aging period and then marries the mature beer back with a portion of fresh Tripel. The result is a barrel-aged ale that retains the bright, spicy, effervescent soul of a Belgian tripel while gaining real depth from oak, vanilla, and bourbon. A 95-point BeerAdvocate score from thousands of independent ratings confirms that this approach produces one of the most consistently excellent barrel-aged Belgian ales available.