Purple Prose
Grimm Artisanal Ales

Purple ProsePurple Prose
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From:
Grimm Artisanal Ales
 
New York, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
Ranked #513
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
91
Ranked #8,084
Avg:
4.06 | pDev: 7.39%
Reviews:
37
Ratings:
211
Status:
Active
Rated:
Wednesday at 12:40 AM
Added:
Oct 06, 2015
Wants:
  8
Gots:
  39
Blackcurrants, raspberries, aged hops, new oak. Juicy, tart, tannic, delicious.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by kp29:
Photo of kp29
Rated by kp29 from Arizona

4.68/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Jan 14, 2016
More User Ratings:
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.77/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Very funky aroma. Fresh inviting purple colour. Draught at source.very tart finish. Grape and berry galore. Worth a try for sour fans. Quaffable for sure.
Wednesday at 12:40 AM
 
Rated: 4 by LAM01833 from Massachusetts

Aug 01, 2022
Photo of Tony210
Reviewed by Tony210 from New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours an iridescent red color, minimal head. Has a floral aroma mixes with light raspberry and Concord grape. Flavor is red raspberry, Rex grape, semi sweet and quite tart, very acidic, short finish. Minimal carbonation. Overall an ok wild ale, a bit too tart for my taste.

2/26/22
500 ml bottle
2021 vintage, 6.0% abv
Feb 26, 2022
Photo of JohnniEMc
Reviewed by JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
The one pint .9 ounce dark brown bottle lists the ABV as 6%. It also records the bottling year as 2021. Almost all of the contents of the bottle fit inside a clear glass Imperial pint mug. The color is a rose amber, with an enduring just off white head. The smell is tannic and sour. The taste is less sour and more tart than foretold by the nose. The body is light across the tongue, yet not thin nor watery. The taste is far more complex than the aroma, although it does remain rather consistent from onset throughout the finish. The blackcurrants and raspberry inclusions are noticeable, even though they are subtle. The oak tannins are also restrained, so the delicate balance between hops, fruits, yeast and a hint of alcohol are delightful. This is one refreshing beverage that seems to slide quickly down the gullet. Wild fruited ales aren't for everyone, but if ever you want to give one a try, you can do far worse than starting with this.
Oct 26, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by LeftHanded666 from New York

Apr 05, 2021
 
Rated: 4.27 by PaleAleWalt from New York

Mar 24, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by paulish from New York

Mar 21, 2021
 
Rated: 3.98 by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey

Mar 20, 2020
 
Rated: 4.17 by caffeinelogic from New York

Mar 17, 2020
 
Rated: 3.98 by Eychung from New York

Jun 14, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by ThatAmateurBeerDrinker from New York

Apr 25, 2019
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.24/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Blurring the line where beer, wine and pink lemonade converge, the brewers at Grimm Ales have highlighted that convergence in a beer that uses blackberries, blackcurrants and oak in a sour ale to fuel a taste that resembles all three of these classic tastes.

A hazy mauve, tilting toward matte purple hues, Purple Pose comes with a loose and fading froth. Looking like a foggy wine spritzer, the nose soon fills with tart red berries, cider, weathered wood and a light earthen must of damp burlap. Gentle sweetness graces the tongue with notions of fruit taffy, sourdough and agave with a modest malt showing.

Much of the malt sweetness dissolves swiftly and the fruit forward flavors begin to command the middle palate. Reading like blackberries, blueberries and raspberries, hints of rhubarb, strawberry and cranberry also show through the fully fermented berry additions. The ale leads into a sour taste late on the palate as a notion of rose wine decorates the finish. Piquantly sour with crabapple, lime and yuzu, the underling ale has a big mark on the ale's overall impressions.

Medium light and premierily sour, the beer concludes with a spicy wine-like tannic taste that provides a peppery bite to link up with the sourness beautifully. A quick finish and a slight linger of berries keep the beer highly refreshing, crisp and clean. It's a beer that could be consumed in large quantities if not for the price.
Apr 11, 2019
 
Rated: 4.41 by kybeerdrinker from Kentucky

Apr 07, 2019
Photo of JerzDevl2000
Reviewed by JerzDevl2000 from New Jersey

4.21/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Picked this up at Grimm recently, not having a bottle from them in ages! Glad the new space is there as it's close to me and this was one of the many offerings they had. I expected this to be colorful based on the description and sure enough, it was although the hue was more raspberry than purple but with something this fun, who would even care to notice?

Lovely pour to this as this look like liquid raspberries, come to life with tons of vitality. A bubbly, pink head topped this off as it retreated quite quickly like quiet sea foam. Scattered soapy sections of lacing remained on my pint glass once I took a few sips of this as this beer was quite thin, but lively from start to finish. Quite tart, woodsy, and a bit funky, this was an American Wild Ale at heart that had quite a bit of fruit in the mix as well, resulting in something unlike anything I've ever had before. Red wine that complemented the oak and vinegar that complemented the raspberries were enough to make this stand out but not truly outstanding, as it was just a bit too light and overcarbonated to be truly outstanding.

Not a lot of booze in here as this was a session beer in my eyes, even though the alcohol was just a bit over 5%. It was easy to finish off this bottle but the aftertaste was a bit too heavy as this truly felt like something that was foeder-fermented. Nevertheless, this was fun and true to form for Grimm as fans of theirs would be well wise to seek this out!
Mar 01, 2019
Photo of rule36
Rated by rule36 from New York

3.94/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
torst
2/17/19
Feb 18, 2019
Photo of VoxRationis
Reviewed by VoxRationis from New York

4.67/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Served on tap in a 6 oz (175 ml) Teku glass at the Grimm brewery.
A: Pours a hazy, ruby-garnet color with a two and a half finger, pink-purple head, surprisingly good retention, but a little bit of lacing.
S: Tart and very fruity. Aromas of raspberry and black current very appreciable, as is the lactic acid.
T: Tart and dry. Remarkably dry so that the fruit flavors stand alone, while entirely following the nose. Refreshing and finishes clean.
M: Medium bodied with solid effervescence. Crisp.
O: This was a very special AWA from Grimm. Bought a few bottles and opened one when I got home to let my wife and daughter try. Usually tough beer critics, they really enjoyed it.
Feb 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by TartyHearty from New York

Jan 20, 2019
 
Rated: 3.98 by Dr_Fox from Utah

Oct 07, 2017
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

4.24/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Body starts reddish-fuchsia with a very large, foamy pink head leaving wormy layers of lace all the way down as it dies to a fluffy poof of foam floating in the center. The second pour yields a lot of [tasty] sediment that clouds it up to full opacity as it nears dark purple.

Smell is raspberry and black currants which are very reminiscent of blackberries. It's like walking through a hot summer forest with wild berry bushes nearby full of plump fruit just waiting to be plucked. There is nary a hint of acid on the nose, but a touch of soft funk and smokey oak adds a little depth. The oak may even contribute a little red wine-like tannin.

Taste is tart and seedy and jammy with the slightest hint of peppery oak. Blackberry-esque black currants and raspberry puree just bathes the tongue, with a little bitterness that's like berry skin or blueberry in the finish. The bitterness may even give off a hint of charred wood.

Body is light with a moderate, delightful crisp fizz and a semi-dry finish.
Jul 31, 2017
Purple Prose from Grimm Artisanal Ales
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 211 ratings