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 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 8
On tap at MBCC Blue Session. Pours golden with large frothy white head that lasts. The aroma is strong oak, yeast, lemon zest. Medium body, citrus, oak, mineral, light dry finish, very good.
Tried from Draft on 14 Feb 2021 at 03:46

8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
Bottle. (thanks Eddan) Hazy golden/yellow with a small white head. Refreshing and nicely drinkable with citrus, oak, funk and kiwi.
Tried from Bottle on 07 Feb 2021 at 15:30

6.9/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
bottle, with many thanks to kappldav123! Amber colour,mid-suzed head. Fruity nos, yeasty-sour, hints of citrus fruit and dark berries.
Tried from Bottle on 27 Jan 2021 at 16:28

7.1/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
bottle, delivered by kappldav123 - dankeschön! Brown with a small beige head. Woody-herbal aroma, sour, tart with bold vinous fruity hints.
Tried from Bottle on 27 Jan 2021 at 16:27

7.2/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
bottle, huge thanks to kappldav123! Copper colour, small white head. Soruish nose and flavour, tart, shy fruity and woody hints.
Tried from Bottle on 27 Jan 2021 at 16:25

8.6/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
Bottle, 750 ml at Miro B's Grande tasting. Shared with him, Max and JFK10000. Hazy yellow, small white head. Fruity, citric, peach, nice medium+ sourness, funk. Nice. Smooth. Medium bodied.
Tried from Bottle on 18 Jan 2021 at 06:49

7/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
Big thank you to kappldav123 for sharing. Murky copper in the glass. Fresh sourish smell. Taste starts with raspberries followed by smooth pale grain. Wood in the background. Getting thinner tomthe end.
Tried on 17 Jan 2021 at 21:17

7/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
Big thank you to kappldav123 for sharing! Nearly black in the glass. Boozy woody fruity smell. Taste starts dry red wine fruity, vanilla, malt. Some malt bitterness to the end.
Tried on 16 Jan 2021 at 23:24

6.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
Big thank you to kappldav123 for sharing. Cloudy flat copper in the glass. Intensive sour fruity on the nose with some barrel wood. Taste is also sour fruity, sweet background with malt elements. Getting a little bit dry. Very balanced stuff. Low carbonated. Really nice.
Tried on 15 Jan 2021 at 21:54

7.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Bottle looks simple but really good. Beer in the glass golden, small head. Woody sourish nose. Starts fruity sourish, lemon notes, bitter background. Finish more balanced, malty-sourish aftertaste. Nice one!
Tried from Bottle on 10 Jan 2021 at 17:11