Spencer
The Ale Apothecary

SpencerSpencer
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From:
The Ale Apothecary
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
10.7%
Score:
95
Avg:
4.4 | pDev: 5.91%
Reviews:
5
Ratings:
39
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 22, 2018
Added:
Jul 02, 2013
Wants:
  70
Gots:
  9
SPENCER (The Dispenser of Provisions) is our annual fruit beer. In the early fall, we harvest wild blackcurrant fruit and add it to a batch of year-old SAHALIE. The sugars in the fruit produce another fermentation and the blackcurrant tannins create additional structure over the 8-month aging period. Prior to bottling, the beer is dry-hopped for a month in oak barrels. With close to 2 years in oak, Spencer has a much more developed Brettanomyces character than our other beers. Because of the extremely limited quantity of wild blackcurrant available, we produce only one oak barrel of Spencer every year.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by box_social:

  None found.

 
Rated: 4.14 by vfgccp from New York

May 22, 2018
More User Ratings:
Photo of Zythophile
Reviewed by Zythophile from Washington

4.62/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Bottle Date: 2/25/16
Palate Contaminants: other beer

The color is fairly unique. I don't see much that I'd call a dark orange. Moderate opaqueness.

The smell is that of a floral sour with some blackberry honey. I was surprised at the amount of Brettanomyces, but I gather that it's intentional. Heavy corn candy, but without the corn, if that makes sense. The sour element shades toward lactic, too. Very interesting.

The canvas is apple cider, maybe mixed with a little pear cider. Then, from one angle, it's a mixed berry cheesecake. From another angle, it's jam and butter on soft toast. I mean, it's a sour beer, but it's not really sour. There's so much fruit-derived sugar. It's not as candy-ish as HF's Clover, but it's as complex. Rich, too. There's some serious nectar-of-the-gods stuff going on. Instead of blackberry honey, the taste is currant honey, if you can imagine.

For a niner, the alcohol is very well hidden. Carbonation is somewhat coarse, but not prickly. The aftertaste is about as delicious as any aftertaste.
Dec 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.9 by UCLABrewN84 from California

Apr 02, 2017
 
Rated: 4.41 by tblack4d from Georgia

Jan 07, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by Raziel313 from California

Jun 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4.35 by fthegiants from California

Jun 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4.48 by SimcoeKid from California

Jun 06, 2016
 
Rated: 4.73 by StoutSnob40 from California

Nov 14, 2015
 
Rated: 3.99 by IrishColonial from Texas

Nov 14, 2015
 
Rated: 4.1 by imperialking from Illinois

Aug 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4.4 by thebeerbeast from Oregon

Jul 23, 2015
Photo of SaltySizzle
Reviewed by SaltySizzle from California

4.74/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
5-1-2014 handwritten marked bottle with the man, Paul himself. One of the best beers I've had this year. Fruit finishes very well on the palette, and not a sour bomb. Overly balanced with incredible mouthfeel. Apoth is still seriously underrated, IMO. Glad I got to try this at the Brothers Provisions event in SD! Hope it's an annual thing.
Jun 08, 2015
 
Rated: 4.1 by spycow from Illinois

May 31, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by distantmantra from Washington

May 27, 2015
 
Rated: 4.39 by Cynic-ale from Texas

May 10, 2015
 
Rated: 4.77 by Shaimless from Oregon

Mar 29, 2015
 
Rated: 4.78 by mantissa from Oregon

Mar 29, 2015
 
Rated: 4.92 by TreeBear from Oregon

Mar 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by GRG1313 from California

Mar 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4.71 by kingjohnh from New Mexico

Feb 12, 2015
Spencer from The Ale Apothecary
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 39 ratings