9.4

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9.5

375mL bottle shared by Nelson on 4/13/17, thank you!!
Brassy, pale-golden body shows good clarity. White head is initially full but falls to cover quickly.
Smells tart. Lactic acidity with light Brett filling in the edges. Very Flora-like, with some Art in there, as well. Red wine, chalky, mild minerality and a long lactic finish. No alcohol or flaw. With warming, honey-vanilla notes emerge as the malt comes more to the front. Fruitier Brett notes help build complexity and take away some of the dominance of the lactic character.
Quite a bit different in flavor than expected! White wine, kumquat and other strong tropical fruit from the Brett. And here I thought this was going to be heavy on the lactic acidity. But rather, that’s very well-integrated and softened by the honey-like, rich malt character and instead there’s a bevy of passion fruit, lime and hickory. Very engaging carbonation and I’d consider it fairly sour overall, though certainly not heavily so. While the aroma is somewhat dominated by the lactic character, the flavor and texture more than make up for it. Every bit as enjoyable to drink as Art, Ann and Flora. Would love to try it side-by-side with those (like that will ever happen....).
375mL bottle drunk 5/26/17 at the brewery.
Drinking this alongside Ann and WoL Sante, which are probably my other two favorite sours from HF really helped put this thing in perspective. First, it’s still quite young and actually maturing/benefiting from aging. So that’s encouraging. Strong lactic character with lots of intense, rich oak and caramel-tinged honey-like maltiness is still a bit on the strong side, overall (though it’s still highly enjoyable). Both the nose and flavors are woven tight and pack a very dense, rich wallop as white grape, kumquat and unripened pineapple/nectarine take quite a bit of time to breath and warm before opening up. Much like a very young riesling or gruner. I think this thing is really going to hit its stride in another year or two and probably be a real delight for many years to come. I think it shows more potential than even 2014 Ann or WoL Sante.

8.2

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

Shared at the March 2024 PS tasting, 3/16/24. Clear gold, medium white head, average retention. Aroma of apple, funk, caramel. Taste is Apple skins, funk. Well balanced, bright, funky.

7.6

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5

Bottle ($95 US) from the brewery - Easter 2024 trip with a waxed cap. Lightly hazy, a white small head, average retention and a little lacing spots left on the glass. Funky, sour aromas with a touch of citrus, oak woodiness giving vanilla notes. The mouthfeel is wet with a puckering sourness, mild dryness and tart left on the tongue. Lots of fruits in the taste (citrus, stone fruits, tropical fruits) and the hints of wood-vanilla. Very nice to try this limited-to-one bottle per customer, and probably the most expensive beer I have... and will ever purchase.

9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9

375ml bottle big thanks to Billy T. It pours lightly hazy pale yellowy gold with a thick, fluffy white head. The aroma is fresh, fragrant, floral, zingy, tangy, daisies, summer meadow, lemony, pomelo, grapefruit, fruit salad, dry oak, hay, straw, soft doughy bread, tangfastics, white wine, vibrant and funky. The taste is crisp, dry oak, clean, fresh, fragrant, bright, juicy, puckering, mellow acidity, sherbet, tangfastics, floral, fragrant, honeysuckle, lemon, lime, pomelo, grapefruit, white wine, champagne, dry funk, barnyard, oak, hit of tannin, spritzy, gooseberry, white grape and dull candy with a dry, oaky finish. Medium body and moderate, fluffy carbonation. Massaging and velvety mouth feel. Great depth and ultra balance. Exquisite.

8.8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

Bottle at home in Hackney - sourced in a trade. Pours clear honey-gold with a small, frothy white head. Some old wood in the nose, a little funk, citric notes. Lightly sweet with moderate acidity, some lemony bite, oak, soft grassy bitterness, a little musty funk, salt. Light bodied with delicate carbonation. Tart and quenching on the finish, more citric acidity, tangy oak, mild grassy bitterness, restrained barnyard funk. Outstanding.

8.8

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

Bottle @ Late Summer Whale Share! Pours hazy golden with a small white head. Aromas of citrus, honey, oak, vinous grapey notes, melons, pear, esters. Taste has lots of floral notes, estery, oak, citrus, quite acidic, flat sort of underwhelming finish.

7

3.7

8

Thanks for the trade, Donovan! Good one, quite vinous and complex but not quite worth the hype.

9

Oct 19 2016, earthy citrus funk, girlfriend's birthday beer, so tasty