Craftsman El Prieto Sour Black Ale

Brewed by Craftsman Brewing Co.
Style: Sour Ale
Pasadena, California USA

Tasted on tap at the Pizza Port Strong Ale Festival 12/5/2008. This sour ale pours a medium black amber color from the tap. Medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is fruit and sweet, with a touch of tartness and vinous sourness. A medium bodied sour ale. The malts are fruity and sweet with a touch of funk. Nice balance. Good carbonation. Sourness is kind of subdued but it hangs around a long time. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sour.

On tap at Stone. Dark brown with no head. Sour apple, cherry, and oak aroma. Sweet and sour cherry and lemon taste with a dry oaky finish.

Tap @ Father’s Office in Culver City. A beer I have not had an equal for. First half of aroma is sour - underripe fruit, harsh grain; then suddenly this is taken hostage by a darker carameled whiskey flavor like a barrel-aged barley wine. The same two-faced character appears in the flavor: step one is a nice dark sour flavor seemingly based on bing cherries; step two is a thick, dark aged quality where all fruit is cast aside and there is only wood, malt, and time. Misses a 10 on flavor because the flavor has two distinct parts: marrying these two heads would be genius. Misses overall points because I don’t know if I have the gumption to drink such a creation again.

On tap at the 2008 Strong Ale Festival. Poured a dark brown color with a reddish tint and a very small sized off white head. Aromas of lots of roastiness, dark fruits, cherries, and black berries. Tastes of grapes, dark fruits, somewhat vinous, and cherries. Light to medium sour finish.

Tasted at the brewery. Thanks again to Mark’s for his hospitality. Black (it’s a derivative brew from their baltic porter). It a very nice tasting brew with a grapey-sour finish.

RBSG: Tap @ The Linkery. Poured a very dark brown color with a beige head. Great tart aroma with earthy caramel notes. The flavor is tart and acidic. Caramel malt flavors with leather and mild earthy notes. It was nice and sour and refreshing. Very drinkable and tasty.

Draft... RBSG ’08... Clear, very dark crimson ale with a mid-sized, creamy, off-white head. Never-ending retention. Soapy, sour aroma * in a good way * with accompanying roasted notes. Full-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and pillow-soft carbonation. Tart, tangy and lightly bitter with nice roastiness. Sweet-tart finish.

10th taster @ Stone Sour Fest 2008. Pours deep brown almost black with a creamy tan head. Caramel and smoked malt with a faint sourness on the nose. On the palate it is both sweet and sour, a nice change of pace.