Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Liber Novus from The Referend Bier Blendery 7 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
Cask at First Anniversary party, 12/2/17.
Bright pink-crimson, good clarity, with a small, pink-flecked head that immediately dissipates.
Tart berry skins in the nose foretell high attenuation, while cereal grains in the background balance funky Brett and lactic acids. Fruit is folded in to the beer nicely and there is neither flaw nor alcohol. Light oak, a pinch of appropriate acetic acid and voila, you've got a very lambic-y nose.
Beautifully structured in the mouth with great dryness yet a supple, wheat and barrel tannin-heavy texture with tight, engaging carbonation. Fruit is integrated nicely, being strong on acidity, skin and tannin character. Acid blend overall mimics a lambic very well. Cherries definitely don't have a cherryade character, as one reviewer says. Are you suggesting this is anything but fresh, whole cherry added to the beer? Because that's certainly what it is here. Very dry, very tart on the end, with light cherry pie-like character lingering and tangy raspberry, as well.
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Bottle drunk at First Anniversary, 12/2/17.
Brilliant, bright, brass-golden with a small, off-white head atop. High clarity.
Vidal grapes often give a tangy, overly acidic character that I don't love, but not so here. Proper balancing malt allays any fear that this thing will be too dry/sour/tannic. Honey softens the blow from big Brett-lactic notes as mineral rich grape adds to the complexity. Resulting notes of nectarine, gooseberry, white peach and guava are all fantastically well-developed and pleasing. No alcohol or flaw.
Sweet up front, drying out slowly with quenching tartness on the finish. Grape acidity isn't overdone, yet nor is the sweetness that is present. Tight, spritzy carbonation completes the picture and this thing is just a fabulous display of grapes adding to, but not dominating, a beer's character. Soft wood and wood tannin in flavor and texture. No alcohol. Tons of interesting, unusual fruit notes, with big mineral character as well.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed The Blue Book from The Referend Bier Blendery 7 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Draught at the brewery, First Anniversary, 12/2/17.
Really amazing, lapis lazuli blue with strong violet hues. Good clarity and a violet-specked, beige head atop showing low retention.
Blueberry skin and soft mineral mix with light wood, very light chamomile and orange notes, ending on light grape acidity, black pepper and even, soft Brett acidity. No alcohol or flaw.
Well-attenuated blueberry character gives a good skin, light pulp impression, as the beer picks up moderate funk and acidity. Floral notes dot the finish from the orange and chamomile addition. Well-structured, with wood tannin and wheat-like softness. Very dry. Oranges linger beneath the surface very pleasantly, with soft mineral and spicy pepper phenols, as well. Tight carbonation, no alcohol or flaw, nor surplus of acid.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Jung - Mosaic from The Referend Bier Blendery 7 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Cask at First Anniversary, 12/2/17.
Lightly-to-moderately cloudy, yet still bright, maize-golden. No head.
Tons of hop character is front-and-center here with most of the good qualities of Mosaic and little/none of the bad, since it was cask-hopped (I believe). Nectarine, pineapple and tangerine aromas are supplemented by tropical fruit notes from the Brett as light wheat/biscuit and grain notes sit in the background, alongside moderate lactic acidity. No resin and no flaw or alcohol.
Fairly still in the mouth, but very highly attenuated, so no problems with syrupiness/sweetness. Lightly juicy tropical fruit notes combine with balancing acidity to give a lingering tartness. Soft and watery, very drinkable with just a tiny hint of acetic character that I could do without, but otherwise fantastic.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Draught at First Anniversary, 12/2/17.
Blood red, hazy, with a pink head that fizzles out immediately.
Mineral and juice-rich cherries crowd in the nose, with nutty, biscuity wheat behind it and light lime and leather from Brett, as well. Fantastic amount of fruit packed in here; it's dense and rich and over-the-top, but incredibly fresh/authentic and charming. No alcohol or flaw. Light lactic acid adds some complexity, on the finish.
Juicy, sweet, bing cherry-like notes definitely are a change of pace from the usual dry, sour, tart cherry beers. This thing is oozing sweet juice, with moderate Brett and lactic acidity behind it, providing gentle balance. Biscuity, soft, malty, well-attenuated (malt wise) texture with low, moderately engaging carbonation and all sorts of cherry notes lingering (pit, skin, juice, sugar, etc...). Probably wouldn't drink a ton of it, due to the natural sweetness, but it's fantastic in small amounts.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
Bottle shared in Keystone - cheers! Pours unclear yellow with a fizzy, white head. The nose holds tangy peach and lemon. Lightly sweet, super dry, with some lemony tartness, moderate acidity. Light bodied with active, massaging carbonation. Bone dry finish, clean, tart and quenching, with more lemony acidity, restrained funk, grass, peel. Excellent.
fonefan (84534) reviewed Liber Novus from The Referend Bier Blendery 7 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Growler 750ml. @ [ chriso & Boudicca's pre- GBBF Shindig 2017 ] - Chris and Ruth's House, London. [ As The Referend Liber Novus ].Clear medium red colour with virtually no head. Aroma is tart berries, sweet berries, cherry, light raspberry, funky. Flavor is moderate sweet and light acidic with a long duration, cherry, tart, sweet berry - raspberry, dry, funky. Body is medium, texture is oily to watery, carbonation is flat to soft. [20170805] 7-3-7-4-15
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5
Growler 750ml. @ [ chriso & Boudicca's pre- GBBF Shindig 2017 - Day 1 ] - Chris and Ruth's House, London. [ As The Referend Jung - Hallertau Blanc ].Hazy light yellow colour with virtually no head. Aroma is moderate malty, pale malt, buttery, butterscotch, grass, floral. Flavor is moderate sweet and light acidic with a average duration, minerals, buttery, floral, yeast, tart fruit, funky. Body is medium, texture is watery, carbonation is flat - almost no carbonation. [20170805] 6-2-6-2-10
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8
Growler 750ml. @ [ chriso & Boudicca's pre- GBBF Shindig 2017 - Day 1 ] - Chris and Ruth's House, London. [ As The Referend Berliner Messe Gloria (Sommer) ].Hazy light to medium yellow colour with a small, frothy - fizzy, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, tart, minerals, elderflowers. Flavor is moderate sweet with a long duration, tart, apple, citrus, elderflowers. Body is medium, texture is oily to watery, carbonation is soft to flat. [20170805] 7-3-7-3-15
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle - pours cherry red white head - nose and taste of cherry pie, funk, oak - medium body