Nice beer, just what I wanted, though a bit strong. This sits firmly in the same ballpark as beers like Rodenbach Grand Cru and Redbach, but with raspberries instead of cherries. It is very nicely acetic sour, with balsamic and red wine notes, high ABV contributes a lot of body and sweetness as well. (its almost too strong really but I drank the whole thing because why not?) Low carbonation (bottle was unknown age but likely pretty old) but still lively enough. Raspberries were hard to single out as a single feature of the aroma or flavor, but definitely gave it a jammy/fruity aspect. I suspect the age played a role in the muting of any brighter fruit flavors, but in this case that might end up being a good thing.

Bottle, thanks Tom. Hazy orange with a small white head. Fresh and nicely drinkable with raspberries, funk, citrus and some grass. The body was medium and the carbonation on the soft side. A nice one.

Bottle shared at DCLawyer’s sour tasting. 2016 vintage. Orange color. Aromas of raspberries. Tastes of tart acidic notes, raspberries and berries. Light body with a dry finish.

750 ml bottle into tulip glass; 2015 vintage, bottled in 12/2015. Pours slightly hazy/cloudy ruby red/orange-ish color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy off white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of huge sour raspberry, cherry, cranberry, lemon, green apple, red wine, fruit skin, leather, hay, straw, musty funk, pepper, and toasted oak; with lighter notes of vanilla, brown/candi sugar, vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, raspberries, oak barrel, and light-moderate malt notes; with great strength. Taste of huge sour raspberry, cherry, cranberry, lemon, green apple, red wine, fruit skin, leather, hay, straw, musty funk, pepper, and toasted oak; with lighter notes of vanilla, brown/candi sugar, vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Good amount of fruit/acidic sourness and yeast/tannic oak spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of sour raspberry, cherry, cranberry, lemon, green apple, red wine, fruit skin, leather, hay, straw, musty funk, pepper, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, raspberries, oak barrel, and light-moderate malt flavors; with nice malt/sour/spiciness balance, with no astringent flavors after the finish. Good dryness from acidity/spiciness as well. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, acidic/tannic, and lightly creamy/grainy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a light warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this is an outstanding fruited sour ale. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, raspberries, oak barrel, and light-moderate malt flavors; very smooth to sip on for the big ABV and acidity. This is nearly puckering on sourness, but has just enough malt character to keep it from getting astringent. A highly enjoyable offering.