Draught at Portland location, 6/19/15
Nice clarity throughout this ruddy colored beer with light amber notes and an off-white head that is medium-sized and slowly diminishing.
Fruit very well-integrated with the beer. Not a punchy, young, piquantly-fruited beer (which is fine sometimes) but rather a fully fermented fruit character that has melded with the barrel and yeast/bacteria acids to produce more of a cherry/raspberry skin/seed/pit aroma (and flavor) with very soft, moderately acidic lactic acids keeping it fairly sour in the nose, but not cuttingly so. Oak is soft and mildly tannic, but not buttery or sharp and again, works seamlessly with the rest of the aroma. No alcohol or flaws, very elegant, as is this brewery’s nature.
Sour up front, with some light fruit acids giving off mostly a cherry flavor with light raspberry acidity and seediness through the middle. Vanilla, oak, and a fully attenuated body that is nonetheless supportive enough for the acidity. High carbonation creates an almost creamy texture while a lip-smacking tartness finishes the beer and light fruit skin notes linger. No alcohol or flaws. Divine. Not too sour, so even the average person should appreciate it.