Farmer's Reserve 1

Draft. Amber beer with a whitish head. Sour and light grape aroma. Sour and dark fruit flavor with light grapes. Medium bodied. Sour and dark fruit lingers with light grapes.

Aroma is dominated by fruit - this could almost be confused very a very grape forward fruit punch. I don't get much wine barrel character in the aroma or Cabernet grapes, mostly just a fruit pinch aroma with some grape notes. Faint acidity and funk in the aroma, but it takes a backseat to the fruit. Pours a hazy golden orange with a thin white head that quickly recedes to the edges. Faint lacing and faint legs as well. Flavor starts with a hit of acidity, but fairly clean and not as sharp as some sours. As the acidity fades you get some fruit juice but this too fades and you are left with a drying wine grape flavor along with some light oak notes. The flavor is much more grape forward in comparison to the fruit than the aroma was. There is some fruitiness from the plums though. The funk is on the low side with this beer being more lactic and fruit than Brett - not sure if this would change with age. Light bitterness an no alcohol bite. Could be a bit drier in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium light and carbonation is medium. Astringency is low as is alcohol warmth. Overall I think this is the best beer I have had from Almanac since their first beer they made - the blackberry one. Good balance of fruit and acidity, though the aroma might be a bit too fruit forward. I would have like it to finish a bit drier too. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bottle. Pours with a hazed, sunset orange hued body with a moderate off white head that succumbs to the acidity. Tart aromas, lots of damp wood and wine barrel with lot of funk, damp leaves and pickled fruits. Plums and very tart grapes. Plenty of tannin and soil. Mild vanillin. Flavors are sour (cleanly) funky, and juicy fruit. A hint of a young Brett Cheerio character, a touch malty, earthy soil and strong earthy wine barrel and oak. Vinous. Very juicy albeit muddled fruit character. Good acid and tannin balance. Cleanly lactic acidity. Pretty good stuff. Moderate to slightly lively carbonation, decently puckering and dry. Good stuff!