The Rare Barrel

Microbrewery in Berkeley, California, United States 🇺🇸
Owned by Cellarmaker Brewing Company
Associated Venue: The Rare Barrel

Established in 2012

Contact
940 Parker St, Berkeley, CA, CA 94710, United States
Description
Picture yourself eating a handful of red raspberries, drinking a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade, or sipping on a glass of fine wine. Those sour, tart, and acidic flavors you are currently imagining are what makes sour beer taste quite different from traditional beers. These flavors, which are unique to sour beers, are the product of time and the right mix of microorganisms. While our sour beers age in oak barrels for an average of one year, a blend of microorganisms will shape the sour, tart, and acidic flavors that we’ve come to desire. Yes, sour beers take an exceptionally long time to develop, but we think that sour beers are well worth the wait.

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7.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
Eric’s bottle gifted to and shared by Marcus. Pours orange tinged gold with a transient white head. Aroma is mildly tart, lightly sour, somewhat astringent fruit. Zest even. Med minus body. Flavor is pretty much orange - somewhat tart and sourish - pretty much like a lot of oranges that way. Good sour.
Tried from Bottle on 16 Mar 2015 at 16:20

7/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
[2/14/15] Draught at The Rare Barrel in Berkeley. Nice shiny deep golden, just slightly hazy. Funky aroma, fruity and kinda spicy. Sour funky flavor with some vinegar, fruits and a spicy note. Medium-bodied. Nice.
Tried on 15 Mar 2015 at 21:01

7.5/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8
[2/14/15] Draught at The Rare Barrel in Berkeley. Hazy golden. Lovely funky aroma with manure, sweat and fruits. Sour funky flavor with fruitiness, oak and a bit of vinegar. Medium-bodied. Really good stuff.
Tried on 15 Mar 2015 at 21:00

8.2/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
[2/14/15] Draught at The Rare Barrel in Berkeley. Deep red color. Wonderful sour and funky raspberries aroma with a bit of manure. Sour flavor full of raspberries, funk, lacto, oak and a lemony note. Rounded mouthfeel. Awesome stuff.
Tried on 15 Mar 2015 at 21:00

6.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
[2/14/15] Draught at The Rare Barrel in Berkeley. Big coffee aroma. Sourish fruity flavor with lots of coffee. Medium-bodied.
Tried on 15 Mar 2015 at 21:00

8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
[2/14/15] Draught at The Rare Barrel in Berkeley. Bright hazy golden color. Lovely aroma with funk and tropical fruity hops. Sourish flavor with lots of hops, citrus and tropical fruits, oak, a lactic touch and a lemony note medium-bodied. Great and extremely refreshing.
Tried on 15 Mar 2015 at 21:00

7.9/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
[2/14/15] Draught at The Rare Barrel in Berkeley. Slightly hazy golden. Aroma of “green” hops, somewhat fruity, some funk and oak. Sour flavor with funk, lots of fruity hops, citrus, oak and a bitterish touch. Medium-bodied, rounded mouthfeel. Great and refreshing stuff.
Tried on 15 Mar 2015 at 20:59

6.1/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
[2/14/15] Draught at The Rare Barrel in Berkeley. Red color. Sourish aroma with lots of hibiscus and some ginger. Sweetish-sourish flavor with fruitiness, lots of hibiscus, oak and a faint vinegar note. Medium-bodied.
Tried on 15 Mar 2015 at 20:59

7.8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8
[2/14/15] Draught at The Rare Barrel in Berkeley. Nice dark red color. Aroma of cherries, lacto, oak, cobwebs, funk, malt, a cookie-ish note and a vinegar hint. Sourish flavor, funky, cellary, with some lacto, some malt, a sweetish touch, cherries. Medium-bodied. Great stuff.
Tried on 15 Mar 2015 at 20:59

7/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 8
[2/13/15] Draught sample at Almanac & Friends Sourfest at Public House in San Francisco. Deep red. Big sour elderberry aroma, kinda floral. Sour floral flavor with elderberry. Medium-bodied. Very nice.
Tried on 15 Mar 2015 at 20:45