Allagash Stories Told 375ML

Allagash Stories Told 375ML is a 7.5% ABV fruited sour ale from Portland, Maine, blending bourbon barrel-aged dark sour with Flemish-style brown ale on locally grown cherries and blackberries. Rated 4.18 out of 5 on BeerAdvocate, this limited release from Allagash Brewing Company showcases the brewery's deep expertise in barrel-aged and wild fermentation programs.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7.5%  |  Origin: Portland, Maine  |  Style: Fruited Sour Blend  |  Brewery: Allagash Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Allagash Brewing Company, founded in 1995 by Rob Tod in Portland, Maine, built its reputation on Belgian-inspired brewing long before American wild ales gained mainstream attention. Tod's commitment to the craft earned him the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional in 2019. Stories Told begins as two separate beers—a dark, strong sour ale conditioned in bourbon barrels and a Flemish-style sour brown ale—each matured for over a year before blending. The combined beer then ages for an additional four months on nearly 5,000 pounds of locally harvested cherries and blackberries, an enormous fruit charge that distinguishes it from conventional Flanders-style releases.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark stone fruit rises immediately, with ripe cherry and blackberry jam joined by subtle oak and a whisper of vanilla from the bourbon barrel influence. A vinous, slightly caramel undercurrent emerges as the beer warms in the glass.

Taste: The first sip delivers sharp tart cherry and tannic oak, quickly giving way to a mid-palate flood of jammy blackberry, brown sugar, and cinnamon. As it develops, layers of plum, raisin, and date appear alongside a red wine-like tannic structure that adds considerable depth.

Finish: The finish is long and drying, with puckering acidity balanced by discrete notes of caramel and toffee that linger from the bourbon barrel aging. A final wave of dark fruit rounds things out before the tartness slowly fades.

How to Drink Stories Told

Pour Stories Told into a tulip glass or wine goblet at cellar temperature (50–55°F) and allow it to warm gradually; the cherry and blackberry flavors intensify noticeably as the temperature rises. This is a sipping beer meant to be savored slowly, much like a fine lambic. For cocktail-curious drinkers: try a small measure in a Berliner Shandy with sparkling lemonade for a refreshing low-ABV spritz; use it as the sour component in a Beer Sangria alongside sliced stone fruit and a splash of brandy; or float it atop a Black Velvet variation with dry cider for a tart, effervescent layered drink.

Best For

• Gifting a sour beer enthusiast or wild ale collector
• Pairing alongside a cheese course at a dinner party
• Cellaring for a special anniversary or milestone occasion
• Introducing craft beer fans to barrel-aged Flemish-style sours

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Stories Told taste like? Stories Told delivers a pronounced tart cherry and blackberry flavor up front, layered with plum, raisin, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then finishing with subtle caramel and toffee notes from bourbon barrel aging.

How does Stories Told compare to Duchesse De Bourgogne? Both are Flemish-inspired sour brown ales with prominent dark fruit character, but Stories Told differs in its use of nearly 5,000 pounds of fresh local cherries and blackberries and its bourbon barrel component, giving it a more fruit-forward and oak-driven profile than the classic Belgian benchmark.

Is Stories Told good for sipping neat? Stories Told is best enjoyed on its own from a tulip glass at cellar temperature, where the complex fruit layers and barrel-derived flavors can fully develop as the beer warms.

Where is Stories Told made? Stories Told is brewed by Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine, a brewery founded in 1995 that specializes in Belgian-inspired ales and has one of the most respected barrel-aging programs in American craft beer.

What foods pair well with Stories Told? Aged Gouda complements the caramel and toffee barrel notes; duck confit echoes the rich dark fruit; dark chocolate truffles play against the tartness; a charcuterie board with fig jam bridges the sour and sweet elements; and pork belly with cherry glaze mirrors the beer's dominant fruit character.

What sizes does Stories Told come in? Stories Told is available in a 375ml bottle, a format commonly used for premium and barrel-aged sour ales intended for sharing or cellaring.

Is Stories Told worth the price? Stories Told positions as a premium limited-release sour ale, and its extended barrel aging, massive fresh fruit addition, and complex blending process place it firmly in the special-occasion tier where value is measured by depth and craftsmanship rather than volume.

Why Stories Told?

The sheer scale of fruit used—nearly 5,000 pounds of locally harvested cherries and blackberries—sets Stories Told apart from most American sour ales attempting Flemish-style complexity. The dual-base blending approach, combining a bourbon barrel-aged dark sour with a traditional Flemish brown, creates a layered profile that neither component could achieve alone. A 4.18 rating on BeerAdvocate reflects strong critical reception, and the beer comes from a brewery whose founder holds a James Beard Award. For anyone serious about sour ales, this release represents Allagash's barrel program at its most ambitious and fruit-driven.