Methuselah Rookie Card
Phantom Canyon Brewing Company

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Phantom Canyon Brewing Company
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
4.38 | pDev: 2.28%
Reviews:
2
Ratings:
4
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 31, 2014
Added:
Dec 03, 2011
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
 
Rated: 4.5 by decadance from Texas

Mar 31, 2014
Photo of ehammond1
Reviewed by ehammond1

4.46/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Bottle (2011)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, quirkzoo!

(Aged for 1 year)

Dark, murky cherry, ruby, and violet. Lots of floating yeast and fruit sediment. Very small off-white head. Not a ton of visible carbonation. Leaves the glass oily and spotted.

Very, very nice aroma. Sharp, biting sour character, layered Brett yeast and earth notes, and juicy, crushed, sun-dried cherry. It all comes together exceptionally well.

Lots of vibrant, juicy, in-your-face cherry flavor, complemented by sharp, earthy oak, more earth character from the Brett yeast, and a dramatic, lactic sour character. This comes together exceptionally well. Easily, one of the best American wilds/krieks I've had.

Medium to full body, especially for the style, with low, but certainly present, carbonation.

This goes toe to toe with the big boys, easy! Exceptional! Only second to Cable Car Kriek in the world of American-brewed krieks, personally.
Apr 08, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by ucsbmullet from Colorado

Jan 20, 2013
Photo of allforbetterbeer
Reviewed by allforbetterbeer from Colorado

4.3/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Trinity Brewing Co for the 1 year anniversary party of the "Focus on the Beer" blog. From the description: "Multiple ales were blended and spontaneously fermented in French oak barrels (where a close to a pound of cherries per gallon were added) and aged for two years to sour and acquire subtle cherry flavors." Served in an oversize flute.

Appears dark orange/crimson with almost zero head. When held to light this beer suddenly flashes almost ruby and a very clear body is revealed. Looks beautiful!

The aroma is an awesome and balanced blend of brett-funk, lactic tart, and cherries. Each has its place but none are overpowering the others. Imagine washing an oak cutting board with unblended lambic and cutting up sour cherries on it. That smell might be something like this.

The initial flavors I detect as I take the first sip are clean, forward, cherries. Packing both sweet and sour elements, this is a good cherry flavor that tastes authentic (does NOT inspire any memories of cough medicine). Quickly following in the footsteps of the cherries is a funky tart/sour punch of flavors produced by wild bugs. This isn't overwhelming, and like this entire beer it comes off with poise. The finish has oaky elements and is layered and complex.

The mouthfeel is tart and a little sour, but is surprisingly drinkable. This doesn't require an adventurous frame of mind to drink (as some ultra sour wild ales can) but it isn't sweetened, tame, and soulless as some wild ales have become.

Conclusion: This is an outstanding beer. I had no idea that a wild ale like this was being brewed in my home town. This isn't the most complex cherry-infused spontaneously fermented ale I have tasted, but it may be the most approachable and balanced, which is saying much with regards to this style. Excellent work Phantom Canyon! (please bottle this beer!).
Dec 03, 2011
Methuselah Rookie Card from Phantom Canyon Brewing Company
Beer rating: 4.38 out of 5 with 4 ratings