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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8/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
Bottle. Pours clear golden, medium white head, good lacing. Aroma is light, vinous, bugs, brett, oak, lemon, dust. Flavor is light tart, light plus funk, vinous. Light body.
Tried from Bottle on 31 May 2021 at 00:03

7.9/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 10 Overall 7.5
Bottle. Pours clear pale golden, medium white head, good lacing. Aroma is dusty, lemon, bugs, oak. Flavor is light tart, light funk. Not complex, but pleasant. Medium light body.
Tried from Bottle on 29 May 2021 at 02:05

7.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Bottle from 2018. Pours clear mahogany with a small beige head and decent lacing. Aroma is tannic, dark roasty malts, vinegar, raspberry, perhaps cocoa. Flavor is light plus tart, light plus funk, raspberry notes, very woody. Not getting much bourbon anymore, but this is an interesting beer. Unfortunately my reflux was acting up something strong and I really could not enjoy it as much as I should have.
Tried from Bottle on 24 May 2021 at 23:06

8/10
Tart and vinous, oaky and reminds me of a flanders, for sure with the acidity.
Tried from Bottle on 24 May 2021 at 20:40

7.8/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 10 Overall 7
Bottle. Pours clear golden yellow, merlin white head, good residual. Aroma is citrus zest, tropical, mango, basement. Flavor is light plus tart, light plus funk, bright citrus. Light body. Was likely better when younger.
Tried from Bottle on 22 May 2021 at 02:02

8/10
Tried on 17 May 2021 at 14:32

8.2/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 8
Bottle at ash's. Pours deep ruby, nose is berries, funk, oak, hint of balsamic, taste is juicy berry up front, balsamic, quite tart, dry.
Tried from Bottle on 17 May 2021 at 13:32

8.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
Bottle thanks to Stuu666. Appearance - deep brown to black with a tan head. Nose - funky, woody and dark fruits. Taste - blueberries , blackberries and cherry. Funky edge. Palate - tangy and medium bodied. Great persistence on the lightly sour finish. Overall - lovely.
Tried from Bottle on 17 May 2021 at 13:29

7/10
bottle at ashs... dark brown black.. thin tan lacing... soft earthy funk fruit nose.... soft mslts.. berries... balsamic.. soft funk
Tried from Bottle on 17 May 2021 at 13:28

7.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Bottled at Ash's. Pours dark brown with a thin beige head. Aromas of red grape, chocolate, sour notes. Taste has more sourness, wood and red wine. Light acetic. Sour finish.
Tried from Bottle on 17 May 2021 at 13:27