Haandbryggeriet Haandbakk

Brewed by Haandbryggeriet (Norway)
Style: Sour Ale
Drammen, Norway

Batch 49. Brewed 10/10/06, best by 3/4/11, consumed 11/16/08. A dark and dense cherrywood body is capped with a thick, lasting layer of creamy, tan colored foam. The head leaves solid walls of lacing that slowly dribble back towards the body, scant lines and spots remaining behind. Aromas are beautiful, notes of sour cherry, fig, funky, musty oak, and chocolaty tobacco kick things off. A touch of balsamic vinegar lends a quirky tartness, while the saturated oak offers up a warm, sherry-like quality. Flavors are similar, starting out with sour, funky wood notes, cocoa powder, tart cherries and sweet fig. Cinnamon and clove enter the fold, lending a distinct, earthy spiciness. The oak influence is very vinous, overall, which works well with the sweet-tart, fruity elements at hand. Substantial and smooth, almost creamy in the mouth, the sourness really starts to hit underneath the tongue. This reminds me a lot of Struise Earthmonk, just not quite as masterfully done. Still, this is a might good Flemish red. Bravo.

Bottle 50cl. @ TFODRBSG 2008, Ulfborg, Denmark
Unclear medium amber red brown color with a virtually none head. Aroma is berry, sour, wood. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and sour with a long duration. Body is medium, texture is watery to oily, carbonation is soft. (230808)

Bottle (BB Apr/2011). Head is initially small, frothy/fizzy, light brown, mostly diminishing. Body is cloudy dark reddish-brown, bottle conditioned. Aroma is lightly malty (roasted nuts, toasted grain, caramel), lightly yeasty (cobwebs), with notes of nutmeg/allspice, wood, cherry, sour apple skins. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Medium to full body, watery/velvety texture, lively carbonation, moderately alcoholic. It didn’t really knock me out like I hoped it might, but it’s a solid, fun beer.

Bottle shared with Weepster. Nice sour nose with hints of cherry, oak and a bit of sweetness. Nice dark red / brown color with a decent tan head. First punch is pure awesome sour, which I really love. Then the follow though is the smooth double style with raisin, oak and caramel sweetness. So well rounded and a good way for people to experience a great sour punch without totally going over the top. Really a great beer! Will buy again for sure.

Pours a dark reddish brown with a decent sized tan head. Aroma of sour cherry, wood, and caramel. Flavor is a sweetish sour. Nice mouthfeel.

Bottle shared by theisti. Pours dense with assorted shades of reds and browns. Light brown head on top. The nose is packed with tangy fruit and enough oak to choke a termite. Aggressve oak flavor as well. Sour tand with rubarb and horseradish? Full body and high carbonation. It big and sour and aggressive. Glad to try it, but gee whizz.

500 ml bottle purchased at Zipps in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Pour is cloudy brown orange ruby with a 1 inch off white head. Nominal lacing. Aroma is big sour fruitiness, soft, flavorful and nicely perfumed. Taste is sour tart cherry fruitiness, layered with a really earthy edgy taste that jumps out a bit from the sour. Some oak wood with red wine notes. Palate is dry, mouth coating with lingering wood flavors. Nice complex sour beer.

I’m not sure if there is anything better than transitioning from the rich earthy bitterness of an Imperial Stout to the sweet tartness of a Sour Ale. Batch 49 brewed 10/10/06. Its a gusher, pours a clear very dark chestnut brown with a silky fine medium beige frothy foam 9/10 for appearance. I love sour ales! What an aroma, rich and tart varnish, vinegar, nail-polish remover, it takes me back to grade-school and sniffing markers. It tastes just like it smells, very acidic with strong cheesy woody notes, not refined like De Dolle Oerbier Reserva, but very much an in-your-face brew. Burns the nostrils as you swallow. Addicting in a masochistic sort of way. Tastes of tart cherries with light strawberry fruitiness. Medium bodied with a fuller mouthful, fluffy very smooth carbonation while still being crisp. Yum.