6.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Draught at OEC’s 2nd anniversary, 6/4/16.
Brass-golden body shows low haze and a good-sized white head with moderate retention.
Light sage in the nose with earthy yeast notes and just a hint of wine-like brightness. Rich honey backs it all and there’s some grainy biscuit and fruity rye character. Lots of honey though...
The flavor delivers the honey quite amply and then some. Fruity and sweet with hints of lavender spiciness and light vanilla. Some moderate acetic qualities play against the rich maltiness but it just comes off as too aggressively sweet and sour for me. Too rich, too malty and too much spice still. Would revisit in about a year....
Brass-golden body shows low haze and a good-sized white head with moderate retention.
Light sage in the nose with earthy yeast notes and just a hint of wine-like brightness. Rich honey backs it all and there’s some grainy biscuit and fruity rye character. Lots of honey though...
The flavor delivers the honey quite amply and then some. Fruity and sweet with hints of lavender spiciness and light vanilla. Some moderate acetic qualities play against the rich maltiness but it just comes off as too aggressively sweet and sour for me. Too rich, too malty and too much spice still. Would revisit in about a year....
Tried
on 08 Jun 2016
at 17:58
8.5/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8
Mosaic dry-hopped gravity cask at OEC’s 2nd Anniversary on 6/4/16.
Good-sized white head tops a copper-to-deep-blonde body with a gentle haze.
Stunning mosaic notes in the nose of dank, green, leafy, lush hops and almost a watermelon edge to it. Juicy pineapple, pear, nectarine; all the best mosaic has to offer with light minerality and clean Belgian esters with low acidity. Wow, almost smells like a NE IPA.....
Similar experience with the flavor, very IPA-like but with very low bitterness, a soft, watery texture and low sweetness. Soft wood, honey and just a bevy of juicy hop notes with no resin or pine. Lightly earthy and very rustic. Amazing.
Good-sized white head tops a copper-to-deep-blonde body with a gentle haze.
Stunning mosaic notes in the nose of dank, green, leafy, lush hops and almost a watermelon edge to it. Juicy pineapple, pear, nectarine; all the best mosaic has to offer with light minerality and clean Belgian esters with low acidity. Wow, almost smells like a NE IPA.....
Similar experience with the flavor, very IPA-like but with very low bitterness, a soft, watery texture and low sweetness. Soft wood, honey and just a bevy of juicy hop notes with no resin or pine. Lightly earthy and very rustic. Amazing.
Tried
from Cask
on 08 Jun 2016
at 17:54
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Draught at OEC 2nd Anniversary, 6/4/16.
Milk chocolate colored body shows light clarity on the edges and a beige head that immediately recedes.
Fig, raisin, toffee, light acetic acid and a very earthy, toasty wood character all blend to give the impression of almost an eisbock. I definitely can smell the similarities that freezing produces. Perhaps the beer oxidizes more quickly? Not sure, but it’s not a problem here as there’s no soy or cardboard. Light grape hints and some mildly musty funk on the end with strong wheat-like cereal notes. Absolutely no alcohol, which is impressive.
Continuing with the craziness that is this series, the beer has a lightly watery, loose palate, much like when you get drunk, leave a beer in the freezer and then try to drink it the next day after it thaws. For whatever reason, the wateriness inherent in the beer, and low but tight carbonation, add drinkability while the main force of flavors is a dry toffee, strong wheat richness and moderate amount of fig/raisin/grape. Milk chocolate must be in there too, as some light lactic acids meld with the darker malts. Would guess this to be at about 6% abv, so it’s impressive it comes off so light and drinkable. Really bizarre, awesome beer.
Milk chocolate colored body shows light clarity on the edges and a beige head that immediately recedes.
Fig, raisin, toffee, light acetic acid and a very earthy, toasty wood character all blend to give the impression of almost an eisbock. I definitely can smell the similarities that freezing produces. Perhaps the beer oxidizes more quickly? Not sure, but it’s not a problem here as there’s no soy or cardboard. Light grape hints and some mildly musty funk on the end with strong wheat-like cereal notes. Absolutely no alcohol, which is impressive.
Continuing with the craziness that is this series, the beer has a lightly watery, loose palate, much like when you get drunk, leave a beer in the freezer and then try to drink it the next day after it thaws. For whatever reason, the wateriness inherent in the beer, and low but tight carbonation, add drinkability while the main force of flavors is a dry toffee, strong wheat richness and moderate amount of fig/raisin/grape. Milk chocolate must be in there too, as some light lactic acids meld with the darker malts. Would guess this to be at about 6% abv, so it’s impressive it comes off so light and drinkable. Really bizarre, awesome beer.
Tried
from Can
on 08 Jun 2016
at 17:07
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Draught at OEC 2nd Anniv., 6/4/16.
Dark mahogany brown with dark magenta and cola highlights on the edges, when held to the light. Indeterminable clarity and a beige head atop that shows moderate retention.
Acetic and lactic presence in the nose is strong, alongside rich wood and nutty, chocolatey malts. There’s a strong raspberry and grape-like element with low alcohol and no flaw.
Very sour in the mouth, with a strong vinous character, slick, chocolate-laden malts and big lactic-to-acetic character with lemon rind sinking in to the enamel, on the finish. The actual barrel tannin itself helps combat all this acidity but the dark malt shows through a bit too much for me and there’s a lot of hard acetic character, as well. Low to moderate carbonation is mostly engaging. No booziness is a plus. A very special beer, no doubt, but maybe a bit lost on me.
Dark mahogany brown with dark magenta and cola highlights on the edges, when held to the light. Indeterminable clarity and a beige head atop that shows moderate retention.
Acetic and lactic presence in the nose is strong, alongside rich wood and nutty, chocolatey malts. There’s a strong raspberry and grape-like element with low alcohol and no flaw.
Very sour in the mouth, with a strong vinous character, slick, chocolate-laden malts and big lactic-to-acetic character with lemon rind sinking in to the enamel, on the finish. The actual barrel tannin itself helps combat all this acidity but the dark malt shows through a bit too much for me and there’s a lot of hard acetic character, as well. Low to moderate carbonation is mostly engaging. No booziness is a plus. A very special beer, no doubt, but maybe a bit lost on me.
Tried
on 08 Jun 2016
at 16:59
7.8/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Blend #3 draught at OEC 2nd Anniversary, 6/4/16.
Deep waxen-golden-yellow body has a strong haziness to it and a dense, small, off-white head atop showing moderate retention.
Very woody, dry, almost wet sawdust-like nose reveals vanilla, buttercream and rich honey, with warming and breathing. Lactic acid is strong here, with very little peach in the nose and no alcohol heat or flaw.
Peaches are immediately apparent adding light acidity and more reserved, dry, fruit skin-like notes than any actual rich juiciness. Vanilla, bread, honey and biscuit all form a strong body, though attenuation is still strong. Tight carbonation and a lip-smacking sourness with plentiful lactic acid and lemony acidity lingering on the finish.
While the beer is certainly well-made, I think peaches and sour flavors don’t go together all that well. It almost mimics a diacetyl flavor, the peach and lactic acid taken together.
Deep waxen-golden-yellow body has a strong haziness to it and a dense, small, off-white head atop showing moderate retention.
Very woody, dry, almost wet sawdust-like nose reveals vanilla, buttercream and rich honey, with warming and breathing. Lactic acid is strong here, with very little peach in the nose and no alcohol heat or flaw.
Peaches are immediately apparent adding light acidity and more reserved, dry, fruit skin-like notes than any actual rich juiciness. Vanilla, bread, honey and biscuit all form a strong body, though attenuation is still strong. Tight carbonation and a lip-smacking sourness with plentiful lactic acid and lemony acidity lingering on the finish.
While the beer is certainly well-made, I think peaches and sour flavors don’t go together all that well. It almost mimics a diacetyl flavor, the peach and lactic acid taken together.
Tried
on 08 Jun 2016
at 16:50
7.5/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Draught at OEC, 6/4/16.
Light blonde-golden beer shows a light haze and a medium-sized white head atop with moderate to moderately-strong retention.
Surprisingly tame in the nose, there’s plentiful honey-vanilla, light lilac-like brett and easygoing lactic notes. Lots of wood, but no rich oak and even the overall fruitiness of the beer is low. Some mild citrus notes on the end with moderat funk, but nothing like the Vindemia Rossa.
Well-structured palate shows plentiful wood tannin but low acidity, with soft lactic acid, mild citrus and just a touch acetic character supplementing the light honey-like maltiness on the finish. Low to moderate carbonation, mostly tight, with some wateriness to it. Doesn’t seem at all like 6.3% and goes down very drinkable with mild funk lingering.
Light blonde-golden beer shows a light haze and a medium-sized white head atop with moderate to moderately-strong retention.
Surprisingly tame in the nose, there’s plentiful honey-vanilla, light lilac-like brett and easygoing lactic notes. Lots of wood, but no rich oak and even the overall fruitiness of the beer is low. Some mild citrus notes on the end with moderat funk, but nothing like the Vindemia Rossa.
Well-structured palate shows plentiful wood tannin but low acidity, with soft lactic acid, mild citrus and just a touch acetic character supplementing the light honey-like maltiness on the finish. Low to moderate carbonation, mostly tight, with some wateriness to it. Doesn’t seem at all like 6.3% and goes down very drinkable with mild funk lingering.
Tried
on 08 Jun 2016
at 16:42
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Draught at OEC’s 2nd Anniversary, 6/4/16.
Not bright or intense pink, but pink nonetheless with a gentle haziness and a rose-flecked, white head atop that fades quickly to a ring.
Incredible juxtaposition of pure, unadulterated farmhouse funk (sulfur, cow, horse manure, wet hay, earth) and bright, moderately acidic and very fruity grape notes. I don’t know if they complement each other all too well, being so incredibly polar opposites, but I do know that both individually are absolutely spectacular. With warming and breathing, it does seem to drift toether a bit better and there’s a touch of honey/biscuit/whitebread in the background to help tie things together a bit better, finding some middle ground.
Tart, nearly sour grape acidity up front gives way to a cheesey-lactic, farmy funk that builds up on the palate quite nicely, sinking in to the soft wheat and malt textures easily while grape acidity crisply clears the palate on the finish, leaving lip-smacking funk and acids lingering. Some very light saltiness and tight carbonation with no alcohol or flaw. Surprisingly mellow on the sourness; nothing like Oudilis Cerasus or Spontalis Gooseberries
Really, really enjoyed this, and had the bottle line not been so long/slow, this would have been the beer I took home. No doubt this should develop nicely.
Not bright or intense pink, but pink nonetheless with a gentle haziness and a rose-flecked, white head atop that fades quickly to a ring.
Incredible juxtaposition of pure, unadulterated farmhouse funk (sulfur, cow, horse manure, wet hay, earth) and bright, moderately acidic and very fruity grape notes. I don’t know if they complement each other all too well, being so incredibly polar opposites, but I do know that both individually are absolutely spectacular. With warming and breathing, it does seem to drift toether a bit better and there’s a touch of honey/biscuit/whitebread in the background to help tie things together a bit better, finding some middle ground.
Tart, nearly sour grape acidity up front gives way to a cheesey-lactic, farmy funk that builds up on the palate quite nicely, sinking in to the soft wheat and malt textures easily while grape acidity crisply clears the palate on the finish, leaving lip-smacking funk and acids lingering. Some very light saltiness and tight carbonation with no alcohol or flaw. Surprisingly mellow on the sourness; nothing like Oudilis Cerasus or Spontalis Gooseberries
Really, really enjoyed this, and had the bottle line not been so long/slow, this would have been the beer I took home. No doubt this should develop nicely.
Tried
from Draft
on 08 Jun 2016
at 16:37
7.5/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Draught at OEC 2nd Anniversary, 6/4/16.
A slight cloudiness permeates this glowing, lime-tinted brass-golden body. The medium-sized white head atop falls to cover steadily.
Much, much lower on spice than Blend #5, thank god. It’s still easily perceptible in the nose, however, and provides light thyme/rosemary notes. Not overdone, it’s backed by a strong honey-like maltiness that soaks up a good deal of it. Very light lactic and acetic notes linger on the end, tickling the nose and complementing the dry spicing. No alcohol or flaw.
Malty-soft palate up front belies the strong attenuation as light to moderate sourness provides lactic and acetic notes. Spices already beginning to blend in with the sourness and light honey-caramel from the malt creating a pretty homogenous sour ale. Still a bit of aggressive sour/acetic character lingering on the end, but it’s nice and dry/crisp and no alcohol is felt. Tight carbonation, no flaws.
A slight cloudiness permeates this glowing, lime-tinted brass-golden body. The medium-sized white head atop falls to cover steadily.
Much, much lower on spice than Blend #5, thank god. It’s still easily perceptible in the nose, however, and provides light thyme/rosemary notes. Not overdone, it’s backed by a strong honey-like maltiness that soaks up a good deal of it. Very light lactic and acetic notes linger on the end, tickling the nose and complementing the dry spicing. No alcohol or flaw.
Malty-soft palate up front belies the strong attenuation as light to moderate sourness provides lactic and acetic notes. Spices already beginning to blend in with the sourness and light honey-caramel from the malt creating a pretty homogenous sour ale. Still a bit of aggressive sour/acetic character lingering on the end, but it’s nice and dry/crisp and no alcohol is felt. Tight carbonation, no flaws.
Tried
on 08 Jun 2016
at 16:12
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8
Bottle, thanks to Caleb! Pours initialy clear, cloudy further along, pinkish rose, small off-white head, some lacing. Aroma is salty air, oak tannin, vinous, peppery, berries. Flavor is medium tart, a hint of acetone, light saltiness, vinous and berry qualities persist. Light body. Really interesting.
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Jun 2016
at 23:41
7.9/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle thanks to Caleb! Pours fairly hazy golden with a small off-white head and good lacing. Aroma, is lactic, ocean air, pepper, funky yeast, hints of cheese. Flavor is aggresively sour, fairly cheesy and lactic, funkyness present and accounted for. Salt take a backdrop but is still present. Lemon. Medium body.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 May 2016
at 19:00