750mL drunk 6/19/26.
Had the first SPON (the 2021 vintage) on tap 3 years ago and was not impressed, to say the least. Wanted to give this series another shot.
Musty, not necessarily funky. Cider, cork, cheese cloth...has a lot of elements that you want to see in a gueuze, though not necessarily a dominant gueuze character (meaning I don't get the defining blend of cultures). There is a touch of fruity Brett, mild-to-moderate lacto and no acetic. Certainly easygoing. Reminds of something like Mikk/Boon Black Label.
Better mix of culture in the flavor than in the nose. Very lemony, slight cidery, hint of acetic, but it never gets too acidic from that. Again, as in the nose, mild Brett and mild lacto. Just generally tart, easygoing, mild. The mash has provided it with a good texture, though the carbonation is a bit loose. Tons of lemony acidity building up with, perhaps, a touch of acetone at points. Yeah, this one ain't gonna go down in the books either, but it does seem an improvement, somewhat, from Spon I.