Cascade Vlad the Imp Aler

Brewed by Cascade Brewing @ Raccoon Lodge
Style: Sour Ale
Portland, Oregon USA

On tap at the 2008 Strong Ale Festival. Poured a medium amber color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of funkiness, leathery, citrus, and some dark fruits. Tastes of woodiness, lighter funk, citrus, and dark fruits. Light tart finish.

(Draught) Pours a lightly hazy yellow body with a small off-white head. Aroma of horseblanket, citrus, apple, and leather. Flavor of citrus, sweet tarts, vinegar, sour apple, delicate herbs, and some wood.

Draft pour @ Brouwer’s Sour Fest 2009. Mostly clear dark copper colored body - viscous, thick and oily appearance when swirled. Apples and candied honey in the nose with a tannic and tart pear and agave character. Candy sugar character sweetens the drink and compliments the apple cider vinegar acidity. Dense, stiff texture, full, frothy, wonderful.

Tasted on tap at the Pizza Port Strong Ale Festival 12/5/2008. This Belgian Strong Ale pours an orange gold color from the tap. Medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is fruity and sweet, with a touch of funk. A medium bodied BSA. The malts are fruity and sweet. The hops are earthy. Nice blend of citrus and funk. Long lasting tartness/sourness, with a touch of leather and wood. Interesting beer. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sour and tart.

GABF 2009. Pours sparkling dark yellow with an average, frothy, off-white head, mostly lasting with good lacing. Aroma is average malt (hay, straw, cereal), light hop (grass), average yeast (earth, musty) with notes of grapes, wine, cask, and ginger. Medium bodied, gritty texture, lively carbonation, and a sour finish. Long duration, light sweetness, heavy acidity and sourness.

Tap at Stong Ale 08. I had expected to have pequad at the fest, but Ron wanted to surprise me. Ive had both components of this blend, but I could not have imagined they would work so well together. Pours orange with a 2 finger tan head. Nose is tart, sweet, and holy shit, amazingly sour. Taste is sour tart, royally amazing, wow wow wow.

On tap at the Raccoon Lodge. Pours lightly hazed orange/gold with a soft fizzy white head. Dry and acidic with a citrus note to the sourness. When I first had this at the Holiday Ale Fest the sourness and acidity seemed much more mild, but I prefer the acidity and sourness that came with this glass. Very dry and sour finish, excellent brew, one of the best sours I’ve had from the NW.

Draft at Brouwer’s. Ooooooh, yeah, this is one of the good ones. Pours crystal clear bright rubied garnet with a dense but shallow creamy tan head. Enormous sharp wood and red wine notes on the nose, plenty of tannins there as well. Bracing. Creamy medium body with a nicely positioned undercurrent of carb. Wine, oak, sour cherries, bits of lemon on the mid-palate. Just a very big and sharp beer that stands up and grabs your attention. Truly delicious and exceptional. We don’t get many beers like this, if any, produced locally up here in the PNW. This is amazing.