Nocturnality
Oxbow Brewing Company in Newcastle, Maine, United States 🇺🇸
Collab with: Side Project BrewingFarmhouse - Black Saison Special Out of Production
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Score
6.83
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Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Nocturnality from Oxbow Brewing Company 7 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle at Oxbow, 12/30/17 and Novare Res, 4/21/18.
Dark mahogany-chestnut, good clarity and dark auburn highlights, with a medium-sized, light beige head showing modest retention for the style.
Bourbon, caramel, chocolate and fig all display both the dark malts and a strong showing of lactic and moderate amount of acetic acid interplay. There's an almost savory or salty element present that intensifies and deepens the nose. Lots of spicy bourbon, dark cacao-like character and yet enough soft caramel in the background to gently balance. Though of course, it remains vibrantly and fully tart and boisterious from the bacteria. No alcohol noted.
Sour and sweet at the same time, in the mouth, with some definite acetic character emerging fairly strongly. Rich honey-caramel base malt shows a great attempt at balance, which it mostly does, and the beer dries out considerably with lingering chocolate, balsam and strong lactic acidity. Tight carbonation, very engaging, with a soft-to-slick, malty texture. The mouthfeel really helps absorb a lot of this strong acid but it no doubt remains a beer not for the faint of heart (it's very sour). Salted pretzel, light milk chocolate, heavy lactic character, light bourbon and oak linger on wonderfully. Very complex and rewarding and softens up considerably with warming/breathing.
CLW (16859) reviewed Nocturnality from Oxbow Brewing Company 8 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
500 ml bottle at the Portland Bottling location. Dirty brown color, no head. Aroma is bold vinegar, (oh Christ!) all I smell is vinegar. Flavor is oak, and vinegar with a finish of sharp sourness. Enormously sour.