8.1

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

The beer is a bright, light gold color. It’s quite clear. The head is small. Just a thin layer of bubbles on top of the beer, dissipate after a minute or two. No lacing is left behind. The aroma is an odd mix of barrel and beer flavors. Fairly big buttery wine note from the barrel. Not really diacetyl but still not quite right. Some apricot and tart kiwi. Big cider note. Lots of wine barrel flavor. Something about it just doesn’t quite work for me. Taste isn’t nearly dry enough for me. There’s a funny fruity sweetness to it. Some simple sugary malt character. Lots of barrel in the taste as well. Medium body. It’s nice enough but the barrel just doesn’t really go with the base beer for me. 10/12/2016 Re-rating Saaz hopped batch - Pale yellow beer. Fairly hazy. Smallish white head. Nice vinous, grapey flavors in the aroma. Light lacto sour note. The butter is almost entirely gone from the original. Light farmhouse dustiness. Tons of that juicy grape flavor in the taste. Light bitterness. Mild grassy, peppery spice to it. Much better than the original with all of that hop flavor. Light feel. Very good.