Barrel-aged imperial stout by Wild Beer, aged in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels and apparently a blend of a one year old batch with a one and a half year old batch. From tap at Dok in Ghent. Yellowish beige, finely moussy, shred-lacing head opening and dissipating gradually over a very dark chocolate brown beer, as good as black, but still with hazy wine red glow. Aroma of coffee grounds, old but good red wine, blackberry juice, lots of moist oak wood, calvados, grape skin, dark chocolate bars, elderberry jam, wine must, toasted walnuts, wet leather, damp dark earth. Tart onset with fruity sweetness and juiciness effects, clear blue grape, impressions of blackberry, blueberry and fresh fig, quite lively carbonated with full, even somewhat syrupy body, but the sourness maintains a certain ‘souplesse’ and drinkability. Deep dark-chocolatey, toasted-walnutty and brown-bready malt body, quickly developing both a firm roasted coffee-like bitterness and a warming, tart, fruity red wine effect, coupled with tannic woodiness; rich and long, complex finish, where all these elements match each other perfectly, further adorned with lingering dark fruit juiciness and earthy hoppy and yeasty aspects. The alcohol warms in an eventually tawny port-like way. Full, complex, fruity sour stout of sorts, profoundly structured in the right way – this is a masterpiece in my book, and one of the best Wild Beer brews I ever encountered. Ambitious alright, but a gastronomical ‘tour de force’ for me.

Dark brown color with high creamy beige head. Aroma: dominated by sweet red berries character, acidity of wine, chcolate and dried fruit. Taste: incredibly complex, acidity and red berries later make place for chocolate and sweetness od dried figs and dates. Full body, low carbonation, moderate bitterness. Excellent, tasty, complex, balanced.

Backlog October 2020. Black body under a fine, dense beige head. Aroma has dark malt, dry fruit and quite much ripe berries in a very elegant way. Taste has sweet, smooth roasted dark malt, mild acidic berries, dark fruit and vinous. Fine body and long lasting aftertaste. Nice and complex.