 FlacoAlto (2473), Tucson, Arizona, USA
| 3.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 6/10 | 3/5 | 6/10 | 4/5 | 13/20 |
Sep 6, 2009
A steady pour into my 25cl tulip glass produces a three finger thick, pale tan colored head that is medium to large bubbled. The beer is a murky amber color that shows an amber tinged, full gold color when held up to the light. The aroma smells of lactic acid and oak notes predominantly. There is a backdrop of mustiness here as well that smells lightly of musky Brettanomyces funk. The lactic notes are actual quite mellow in the aroma and it really is the oak that is the dominant character in the nose; fairly spicy (peppery, a touch phenolic in the oak character with a nice sharpness), with a toasted woodiness as well as a touch of buttery oak character. There is a faint fruitiness here that always plays a supporting role, but can contribute notes of lime, green apple, tart pear and a not quite ripe melon. The aroma is nice, but somehow seem to be lacking a depth and complexity to make it really interesting.
The flavor has a nice tartness to it up front that isn’t really bracing, but definitely noticeable. The oak character is apparent from the get go, but gets a bit more noticeable towards the finish where it supplies a bit of astringency and tannic palate presence. A prickly carbonation couples with the medium-light body, both work pretty well together actually. While the acidity is mostly lactic there does seem to be a touch of acetic acidity here that provides a touch of artificial fruitiness (white wine vinegar sort of flavors, perhaps even a bit of oaky Chardonnay), an artificial sweetness, some textural slickness along with a bite towards the finish. The oak provides quite a bit of spiciness and even a sort of boozy warmth that isn’t actually alcohol.
In some ways this beer is quite bland for a “Wild” ale; if it didn’t have a touch of acetic acid character it would be downright boring. This is certainly not bad, and is in fact quite serviceable, but it really seems to be lacking in the complexity department; the oak and acidity seem to dominate and much of the base beer is lost and there isn’t enough other funky notes to make up for the loss. If sour beers really explode I could see this beer being just as a bland example of the style (sort of the everyman’s Temptation), as it is these are still rare enough that I think a lot of people will really enjoy this as it is perfectly quaffable and nice.
Cavie (1400), Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 15/20 |
Dec 5, 2009 Bottle courtesy of Boomer0815. Clear light lemon color. Lovely sour aroma. Tartness that sits well. Very solid smell. Taste is tart but with heavy flavors that fill out what’s there. A sour that I can relate to. Tart tingly finish.
angrypirate06 (763), Texas, USA
| 4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Dec 3, 2009 Bottle thanks to boomer0813. Hazy orange grapefruit color. Aroma is sour, peach skins, funk. Flavor is tart, sour, citrus, grapefruit. Tasty!
BMan1113VR (2868), Los Angeles (and Dallas), Texas, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Dec 1, 2009 Bottle. Big thanks to boomer0813!! Pours with a haze golden body and a fading white head. Good lace. Aroma of wine, oak, sour, funk, cork and all around greatness! Taste is a sour explosion, but the actual aggression of the sourness is well controlled. Some sour, funk, white wine all the way around. Light bubbles and dry. A truly excellent sour!
MatSciGuy (635), Rosemount, Minnesota, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Oct 31, 2009 Peachy gold with a ring of white head. Tart aroma, plenty of sweetness, oak.
Flavor has a moderate to high tartness, medium mouthfeel. Not super complex, but a quality beer.
BDR (2160), Roseville, Minnesota, USA
| 3.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 16/20 |
Oct 27, 2009 Thanks to Levi for the taste. Sour aroma with citrus tones (mostly grapefruit). Some oak amid the nicely sour flavors and a decently smooth finish.
tytoanderso (1387), St. Louis Park, Minnesota, USA
| 3.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 16/20 |
Oct 26, 2009 750ml bottle. Light acetone on the nose. Some smelly sock and old cheese as well. A good dose of sour fruit and fruit skin. Grapefruit as the beer nears room temperature. Pours a hazed gold with lots of suspended particulate. Flavor is fairly mild. Lacks the gripping acetic acid I like in some American Wilds. Still quite pleasant. Dusty vanilla oak tannins. A light yeasty spiciness. Very mild acetic and just a touch of lacto. Creamy mouth feel. Lively carbonation leading to a lightly dry finish. Pleasant and highly drinkable, albeit not overly complex. Thanks Levi!
juiceisloose (671), Windermere, Florida, USA
| 4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Oct 4, 2009 750ml bottle at WTF OMG! courtesy of Gillard. This one poured a hazy, golden yellow color topped by a small, foamy white head that settled quickly. The aroma is full of sour citrus fruits including peaches, oranges, and lemons to go with some lactic acid, spicy oak, and some bretty funk. The flavor follows with sour citrus with the peaches, lemons, and green apples playing a big role with the lactic acid and spicy oak adding depth behind the citrus. The oak lends some vanilla characters and some pepper spices on the back end along with some bretty funk. Really nice blend of flavors. Full bodied and an almost creamy mouthfeel with moderate carbonation that leads to a tart citrus finish. This is a really nice sour ale, and the best from Bullfrog we opended up at the tasting.
bconley (351), Fern Park, Florida, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 3/5 | 8/10 | 3/5 | 17/20 |
Sep 22, 2009 Golden cloudy pour. Sour grapeish fruity smell. Very sour taste and nice and tangy on the sides of my tongue. Really nice.
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