Can, by way of a trade. Hazy, ruby red. No head. Nose has red wine dregs. Sherry vinegar. Touch of balsamic. Taste is dry, tart, and red wine vinegar sour. Acidity on the palate. More vinegar sourness to finish. Hard going, which is a shame, because ordinarily I love me a Hermit Thrush.

Draught at the brewery, 5/27/17.
Fairly clear, mahogany-auburn with a small, dark beige head atop showing moderate retention.
Really wild nose (no pun intended) showcases a mix of acetic acid, blueberry juice, strong oak, vanilla and toffee. I usually like to write about how the elements fit together, rather than just listing off what I noted, which anyone can do. But with this one, my friend and I were just baffled and I’m not sure how it fits together (I don’t think it does). Really just a kitchen sink beer with some rich oak and vanilla intensifying the acetic character while the juicy fruits seem to sharpen things, as well. So just too intense and unfocused overall, though maybe with more time it would mellow out.
Very fruity, but yet full of light roast, lots of toasted malt, caramel, mild oxidation and plum-meets-blueberry roundness that is quickly escorted off the premise by sharp acetic acid and more sweet oaky vanilla character. Slippery, somewhat loose texture with low, moderately engaging carbonation. It’s not too sweet/syrupy, at least, and it’s not boozy but again the fruit, acetic acid and old ale portions all pull the beer in different directions. Very interesting at least, but also rather confusing.

This was poured into a snifter.
The appearance was a dark brown color with a one finger white foamy head that dissipated within a nice pace. There wasn’t any lacing.
The smell started off with sour cherries over top of some Granny Smith apples and then rolling over some sweet caramel malt. Raspberries show up as it warms.
The taste was moderately sour and tart through the combination of the previously mentioned fruits. Malts refrain a bit more in the flavor and it gets pretty dry and sour fruity in the aftertaste. Dry sour finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium in body with not much of a sessionability about it (too dry and sour). Still, makes for a decent sipper, its not bad that it’s not sessionable. Carbonation runs fairly light allowing the fruits to sour up and mesh along my tongue.
Overall, yeah about that old ale style, I kind of don’t see it so much. I’d say it leans closer to the American Wild Ale category if you asked me. But hey nice to try, unsure if I’d have again.