I was minding my own business last night when the opportunity presented itself to have a few brews, one being the new De Proef Signature Series brewed in collaboration with Allagash. My friend Alan is the importer who started this project, and we tasted the first bottle with Tomme Arthur, who was in Washington to settle some hop contracts (he was also the first collaborator with De Proef last year) and Gary, the owner of Beveridge Place.

I’m going to give this beer my highest, Christopher Walken rating, as in wowwy wow wow. It’s a golden ale fermented with multiple bret strains, including one unique to Allagash. The first thing that hit me was the sweet stink of apricots, bitter almonds, rising pizza dough and funk. I immediately wanted cheese, gorgonzola dolce or something gooey and super stinky like an overripe Epoisse.

Jason and Dirk ended up with something very special, a fruitful beer that manages to fit the style and go beyond at the same time. It’s got a hint of sour on the finish and a great ride to it–from that apricot high through a mouth full of beautiful, creamy, hop-laced lightness, and an underlying farmhouse quality that comes out in the homestretch.

Why would you buy a $10 bottle of mediocre white wine when you could have something so exquisite as this for the same price? Because you’re “a wine drinker??” Life’s too damn short. Learn to be EOE.