10 Commandments

By JASON AND TODD ALSTRÖM

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Brewed at the Port Brewing Company in San Marcos, Calif. (the old Stone Brewing Co. facility), The Lost Abbey lineup of beers is a project started by Vince and Gina Marsaglia, the owners of Pizza Port—a chain of pizza-focused brewpubs—with the former head brewer at their Solana Beach location, Tomme Arthur, and Jim Comstock, who formed the partnership. Their beers are inspired by Belgian brewing with a unique American twist to them. Many of The Lost Abbey beers are also aged in wood, where they mature for long periods of time, exposed to wild yeast and other funky micro-organisms that add unique character and much depth to the beer. More and more brewers are dabbling with this method of brewing, but few have dedicated themselves to mastering it.

Their seasonal concoction, 10 Commandments, follows this vision of Belgian inspiration. Apparently it's a stronger version of their Lost and Found Abbey Ale, and it's indeed strong (9 percent alcohol by volume), dark and brewed with raisins—an underutilized ingredient, in our opinion. Presentation comes in the form of an impressive corked and caged 750mL bottle, while the brewery describes the beer as such: "Massive in every stretch of the brewing way possible, this is the sort of beer that will remind a beer drinker who considers themselves a saint that even saints stray as sinners from time to time."

Let's see what sinful memories get jogged with a sip.

The Taste

Rich, near-opaque, burnt amber-colored brew with a tan creamy lacing. The aroma is unique. Distinct rosemary in the nose, with underlying fruitcake and alcohol. Full-bodied with a light carbonation that gives off a good amount of smoothness. Flavorwise, more rosemary right up front—it's complementary versus overpowering, though it does command your attention. Sweet and tangy raisin juice lies beneath this; slight char. As the rosemary meets the malts, a minty chocolate character is most interestingly created. White peppercorn. Chalky yeast toward the finish, which is incredibly dry.

Final Thoughts

No sinful reminders here: just a solid hefty brew that jumps headfirst into a deep pool of complexity, yet stays approachable even for the timid beer geek. The rosemary character and raisin tones really work here, too. Seek out 10 Commandments, but don't worry about breaking any of them.

FOR MORE INFO: LOSTABBEY.COM

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RESPECT BEER.