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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7.5/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
Bottle - Woody, berry and soured malts with a bit of earthy skunk. Cloudy copper with a decent beige head. Tart strawberry, funky cheese and a sweet tart finish. More sweet and fruit than that a typical Flemish red, but fruity and nice.
Tried from Bottle on 10 Nov 2014 at 22:39

7.1/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
750mL bottle, pours a cloudy dark orange with a small white head. Aroma brings out loads of fresh tart strawberries, oak barrels, and more strawberry. Flavour brings out strawberries upfront, tartness, and some saltiness frankly. Finishes tart and salty. Quite light on the palate in terms of ABV, but very flavourful. Really well-balanced. Great stuff.
Tried from Bottle on 10 Nov 2014 at 22:08

7.1/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
Sample at the 2014 Infected Chimipalooza on 11/01/2014. Clear amber color with a medium ivory white head that diminishes steadily to a wispy film. Short strings of lacing. Aroma of tart fruits and oak. Light-bodied with flavors of tart berries and cherries with underlying funky yeast and herbs. The finish is lightly sour with a cherry aftertaste. Decent overall.
Tried on 10 Nov 2014 at 13:53

7.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
GABF 2014. Pours a fairly bright, slightly dark golden appearance with an off white head. Some tropical fruit, herbal hops, hibiscus, flowers, lemon and yogurt. Dry, juicy, and fun to drink.
Tried on 09 Nov 2014 at 17:27

7.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
GABF 2014. Pours a pretty clear golden appearance with an off white head. Super dank and resiny nose. Some lemon, oak, straw, tropical fruits in the mouth. Juicy and delicious. Quite fun.
Tried on 09 Nov 2014 at 17:26

8.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
On tap at Shelton festival. Pours a garnet red/brown with light white head. Aromas of cranberries, elderberries and grapes with nice but not overpowering floral notes. Very fruity flavors of red and dark berries. Tart and refreshing. Excellent but more of a big flavoured cooler than s beer.
Tried from Draft on 09 Nov 2014 at 12:37

8.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
On tap. Ours a hazy gold with light head. Aromas of light brett, citrus and apricots. Very fruity flavors, of lemony marmalade, peach, and apricots. Great.
Tried from Draft on 09 Nov 2014 at 12:11

8.2/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 9
Bottle thanks to Matt. Pours a clear copper with small off white head. The aroma is red wine barrel, sour brown, light fruit. Thin mouthfeel with nice tart strawberry, light acidicity, oak, tannic finish. Very impressive.
Tried from Bottle on 28 Oct 2014 at 21:51

6.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 9
Bottle thnx to Geus Pours unclear blonde, OK white head . Smell is ginger , Tea , but not too overpowering . Taste is sour , followed by ginger - spicyness . Very straight , in balance, but on the easy way ( sour bacteria and ginger ) 2 extreme taste balance eachother out, but I miss the depth here . Very intense for the ABV , like most sours .
Tried from Bottle on 23 Oct 2014 at 03:59

7.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 9
Bottle thanks to Will. Pours a dark red orang with no head. The aroma is strong blackberry, oak, leather. Medium mouthfeel with tart blackberry, oak, light sour finish. Very good.
Tried from Bottle on 15 Oct 2014 at 17:11