Allagash Brewing Company might be the best brewery when it comes to special occasion beers. Don’t get me wrong, their year-round regular releases are stellar, but you don’t get a full appreciation for Allagash until you start tasting their limited release bottles. I call these beers “special occasion beers” because while I would love to drink these beers all the time, they tend to be on the pricy side, and while they are well worth the expense it isn’t always feasible. These special releases include many beers that are spontaneuosly-fermented, funky and/or sour, and infused with fruit or other adjunct ingredients. One of their yearly releases is Fluxus, brewed with a different recipe every summer to celebrate the first beer that Allagash sold in 1995. For the first time in 2016 Allagash brewed a second version of Fluxus in the winter, called Hibernal Fluxus. Allagash Hibernal Fluxus 2016 is a Belgian style stout brewed with figs. A portion of the proceeds go to Window Dressers, a group that helps underprivileged Maine family reduce their heating costs in the winter. Hibernal Fluxus 2016 is available for a limited time on draft and in 750 mL bottles.
Allagash Hibernal Fluxus 2016 pours deep brown with a solid mocha head. The scent is a mixture of expressive Belgian yeast and roasted malts. The malt leads the flavor, notes of chocolate, raisin and coffee. This is complemented by plenty of flavor from the fermentation, hints of pear, clove and apricot. The figs add some complexity but are mild, I don’t know that I would have specifically identified them without reading the bottle. Hibernal Fluxus is a full bodied sipper, and packs a little punch at 8% ABV. The finish is dry with some lingering sweet malt and yeasty esters. This beer is worthy of a special occasion, and perfect for sipping on a cold winter night, grab some before it’s gone! Hoppy Boston score: 4.75/5.
Previous Allagash Reviews:
Allagash Sixteen Counties, Allagash Tiarna, Allagash Confluence 2015, Allagash Curieux, Allagash White, Allagash Dubbel, Allagash/Maine Beer/Rising Tide Prince Tuesday, Allagash Saison, Allagash Black
Hoppy Boston 
