Forces Unseen
The Rare Barrel

Forces UnseenForces Unseen
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From:
The Rare Barrel
 
California, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
5.3%
Score:
94
Avg:
4.26 | pDev: 6.57%
Reviews:
20
Ratings:
264
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 09, 2022
Added:
Aug 14, 2014
Wants:
  35
Gots:
  47
Forces Unseen is a blend of three golden sour beers aged in oak barrels. At 5.3%, this golden sour is crisp and refreshing, with notes of lemon zest and peaches.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by chippo33:
Photo of chippo33
Rated by chippo33 from Vermont

4.3/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Mar 23, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of nataku00
Reviewed by nataku00 from California

3.87/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2015 bottle opened in 2022

Golden yellow, minimal head and carbonation

Stone fruit, citrus peel, faint

Mango and apricot, lemon twist, light lactic acid bit at the end, drops off the tongue cleanly

Medium and slick, minimal carbonation after 7 years
Jan 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4.38 by mdfb79 from New York

Aug 16, 2021
 
Rated: 3.79 by dsshuck from Delaware

Mar 22, 2021
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Mostly clear gold pour with a white ring. Soft yet sour oak anchor the smell and taste with peach, wild yeast and lemon zest. Smell gets some passion fruit and diacetyl. Taste gets green apple and mild barrel funk. Feel is bright, cool, playfully tart and oaky. All around good sour, would enjoy most in early summer
Dec 24, 2020
 
Rated: 4.27 by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania

Dec 13, 2020
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a very modest head that quickly fades away; dots of lacing

Smell: Barnyard funk galore, with a strong stinky cheese aroma; lactic apricot and lemon underneath along with oak and a vinous white wine character

Taste: Lactic apricot and lemon with the funky element taking over by the mid-palate; oaky and dry with a moderately tart finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with low carbonation; somewhat puckery

Overall: The Rare Barrel sours always have a great deal of complexity and this one is no exception
Jun 10, 2020
Photo of RaulMondesi
Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California

4.24/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Like Raul’s Prom night, there is absolutely no head on this beer. Aroma is beautiful though like my baby mama wearing her Sunday best. Taste is damn straight up solid like a number two after going vegan for two months.

Overall, it’s just a delightful offering like Natalie Portman cooking supper.

Yep!
Mar 07, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by VaporDome from New York

Nov 24, 2019
Photo of macrosmatic
Reviewed by macrosmatic from Florida

4.19/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
Thanks to eyebereej for sending this bottle! Reviewed from (very) long-standing notes. Poured from the 750 mL bottle into an El Catador Barrel-Aged glass. 2014 bottling marked on the label, consumed 11/4/17.

A: Hazy gold with a good amount of visible carbonation. Forms a half-finger of white head that fades fairly quickly.

S: A big lactic acid tartness and a more moderate Lactobacillus funk. Citric acid and lemony. Oak and a modest dry vinous character. Underripe peaches or apricots and the cracker malt body. Pretty nice, and impressively complex for not actually having any fruit additions (I think, at least).

T: Lactic tart and Lacto funk up front again. A very mild acetic acid. Oak with dry tannins, and lemony citric acid and lemon rind. This still comes off as having stone fruit flavor here – apricots especially. Cracker malts, mild crisp white wine, and more citric acid and dry lactic sour. Lactic acid stays in the hang and this finishes dry.

M: A light but not watery body. Carbonation sensation seems average to slightly low. Low alcohol presence.

O: A solid sour that compliments the wood barrel nicely. The finish is maybe just a little thin flavor-wise and borderline watery or lacking a bit of a punch somehow. But that's the only critique I can come up with - overall, this is really quite enjoyable.
Aug 03, 2019
Photo of Rimbimhoot
Rated by Rimbimhoot from Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Blend 36

Sour
Aug 27, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by cp45 from New Jersey

Jun 24, 2018
 
Rated: 4.33 by Hayden34 from Georgia

Nov 15, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by jschott75 from Illinois

Oct 29, 2017
Photo of rand
Reviewed by rand from California

4.4/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
750 ml bottle into a tulip

Eminently drinkable sour, with a perfect harmony of tart and funk. Unripe berries and citrus zest play off grassy, yeasty farmhouse flavors, as the brew's nose yields notes of earthy, early spring. A complex and layered profile funnels to a singular 'sweet spot' at the back of the sip. Delish.
Oct 11, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by BEER88 from North Carolina

Jun 24, 2017
 
Rated: 4.23 by bryantan from Pennsylvania

May 23, 2017
 
Rated: 4.06 by avas from New York

Apr 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.29 by loganburgh from Michigan

Jan 19, 2017
 
Rated: 4.42 by Dominic_Decoco from New Jersey

Jan 15, 2017
Forces Unseen from The Rare Barrel
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 264 ratings