Barrel aged ‘bière de mars’ (an originally 14th-century but now forgotten seasonal beer style from northern France, also called ‘bière de printemps’) by Hill Farmstead, one of their ‘ancestral’ beers, because Norma is the first name of the brewer’s maternal grandmother apparently. Medium thick, moussy, pale greyish white, stable head on a misty ruddy-bronze-tinged deep amber coloured robe (amber being the correct colour for bière de mars indeed). Aroma of pickled peaches, balsamico, redcurrant, sherry vinegar, old oxidized sparkling wine, old oak wood, oloroso sherry, passionfruit. Tart fruity onset, a bit lemony and slightly puckering at first, softening down further on, with notes of redcurrant, cranberry, medlar and passionfruit, over a vague touch of balsamic vinegar. Fizzy carbonation, supple body consisting of a hazelnutty and hard-caramelly malt character dried by lactic sourness, which retains its lively fruitiness throughout; woody tannins accentuate the drying effect even more, with these passionfruit, balsamic and sour red berry flavours lingering. Quite layered and elegant, with a strong retronasal effect of old oxidized (oloroso) sherry; they can call this a bière de mars and I am sure that is what it was like before it went into the barrel, but the bacterial microflora applied here has turned it into a sour ale – which, in combination with the nutty, darkish-amber malt character, has more in common with Flemish red (‘oud bruin’) than true French bière de mars. Regardless, this is a sophisticated sour ale by this famous yet somewhat elusive and fascinating craft brewer.

Wfg’23, vlierbloesem, dun en wat waterig

2017 bottling. 750ml. Amber beige head.  Malty bready nose.  Some oxidation notes, maybe the caramalt, cherry and date and some medicine.  Flavors same with neutral wood.  Tart and dry, long finish.  Maybe a bit old.  Not their best.  7 4 7 3 13

750ml bottle. Tartish and slightly malty with hints of honey and oak, mild funky farmyardy notes. Quite balanced

A hazed dark reddish amber ale with a thin mocha head. In aroma, sweet fruity malt with light fruity esters, light Brett, light lactic notes, pleasant. In mouth, a nice sweet fruity malt with light banana esters, light Brett, light lactic notes, pleasant. Bottle from 2011.