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Open Container
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
- From:
- Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
- Alaska, United States
- Style:
- Wild Ale
- ABV:
- 6%
- Score:
- 84
- Avg:
- 3.67 | pDev: 16.35%
- Reviews:
- 37
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 23, 2017
- Added:
- May 09, 2011
- Wants:
- 37
- Gots:
- 15
Brewed in July 2010 at Midnight Sun by City Beer Store owners Craig & Beth Wathen and our brew crew, Open Container was fermented with Wild AK yeasts then aged in Chardonnay oak barrels for several months. This very special 3-barrel batch honors eccentric West Coast brewing.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by CheapBeerBuzz:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Phil-Fresh from California
3.85/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A: Moderately light funk, slight sourness with moderate must.
A: Bright golden color, totally clear, with an almost non-existent head that instantly disappears.
T: Moderately light funk, slight sourness with moderate mustiness. The bright character and sourness has considerably mellowed over 6 years.
M: Medium-light bodied with light carbonation.
O: Solid; Such an amazing beer when it was fresh, it’s been interesting to see how the beer has matured over the last 6 years. The sourness has considerably mellowed and a moderate mustiness has developed. While still drinkable, not nearly as enjoyable.
Feb 23, 2017A: Bright golden color, totally clear, with an almost non-existent head that instantly disappears.
T: Moderately light funk, slight sourness with moderate mustiness. The bright character and sourness has considerably mellowed over 6 years.
M: Medium-light bodied with light carbonation.
O: Solid; Such an amazing beer when it was fresh, it’s been interesting to see how the beer has matured over the last 6 years. The sourness has considerably mellowed and a moderate mustiness has developed. While still drinkable, not nearly as enjoyable.
Reviewed by DucksFan16 from Tennessee
4.42/5 rDev +20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev +20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Re-rate on 08/14/2016. This has aged so gracefully over the last couple of years. So glad that I've had the opportunity to try this numerous times over the last 5 years. So sad this is my last bottle.
Jan 10, 2015Reviewed by tectactoe from Michigan
3.53/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
Open Container comes out somewhere between straw colored and a dull, light yellow; cloudy in the middle, similar to an unfiltered witbier, though not quite as vibrant. Absolutely no head, even after an aggressive pour straight down into the middle of the glass... how strange. It appears the carbonation is lost on this one.
Crisp, juicy pears, apples, and some fresh grapefruit make up a good portion of the first inhale, albeit it's a little more muted than I'd like. I'm picking up on some faint peach notes, as well. Despite already knowing that this beer should have some funk to it, I'm not really picking up any Brett or Brett-like qualities off the nose, or at least nothing that's grabbing my attention. Near the end of the sample, some very like oak and wood notes start to surface, but still nothing too reminiscent of funky yeast flavors.
Open Container does in fact have a sub-par level of carbonation as it hits my palate - I wonder if this was intended or if the carbonation somehow escaped from the bottle prematurely? The taste is still pretty nice and refreshing; lightly tart apples, pears, and maybe even some slight cherry notes bouncing back and forth. Halfway through the sip, the funk notes finally start to come out, and are still pretty quiet compared to the fruit. The damp, cellar-like funk transitions into an oaky, woody flavor that glides right into the aftertaste along with a light, fading, fruity sweetness. The body is thin-medium and unfortunately I am left wanting much more carbonation than is being offered to me.
Overall, a pretty good beer, although the low carbonation was killer. The flavors were pretty good, but they weren't particularly vibrant, wild, or "standout-ish". That being said, I wasn't disappointed, but I wasn't necessarily pleasantly surprised, either.
Feb 26, 2013Crisp, juicy pears, apples, and some fresh grapefruit make up a good portion of the first inhale, albeit it's a little more muted than I'd like. I'm picking up on some faint peach notes, as well. Despite already knowing that this beer should have some funk to it, I'm not really picking up any Brett or Brett-like qualities off the nose, or at least nothing that's grabbing my attention. Near the end of the sample, some very like oak and wood notes start to surface, but still nothing too reminiscent of funky yeast flavors.
Open Container does in fact have a sub-par level of carbonation as it hits my palate - I wonder if this was intended or if the carbonation somehow escaped from the bottle prematurely? The taste is still pretty nice and refreshing; lightly tart apples, pears, and maybe even some slight cherry notes bouncing back and forth. Halfway through the sip, the funk notes finally start to come out, and are still pretty quiet compared to the fruit. The damp, cellar-like funk transitions into an oaky, woody flavor that glides right into the aftertaste along with a light, fading, fruity sweetness. The body is thin-medium and unfortunately I am left wanting much more carbonation than is being offered to me.
Overall, a pretty good beer, although the low carbonation was killer. The flavors were pretty good, but they weren't particularly vibrant, wild, or "standout-ish". That being said, I wasn't disappointed, but I wasn't necessarily pleasantly surprised, either.
Reviewed by Thorpe429 from Illinois
4.52/5 rDev +23.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
4.52/5 rDev +23.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Huge thanks to GT2 for opening this bottle. Served in a Midnight Sun goblet. Pours a slightly-hazy straw color with a short white head. Nose has a good dose of Brett with mild barnyard and a good lemon rind and citrus component. Flavor is initially mellow with light acidity through the finish. Light funk and good citrus. Slight straw. Light body with mellow carbonation. Really outstanding.
Dec 15, 2012Reviewed by Huhzubendah from District of Columbia
3.92/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
The beer is yellow and appears moderately hazy. Thin head which falls away quickly, leaving virtually no lacing. The aroma offers wild yeast, funk, sourness, tropical fruit. Some pineapple in the flavor. Lactic and acetic. Pretty light bodied. A decent wild ale.
Jul 03, 2012Reviewed by drabmuh from Maryland
4/5 rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I enjoyed this beer way way more than others. Beer is yellow and hazy with a thin wispy white head, small bubbles, no retention, no lacing.
Aroma is funky, sour, a little acetic but not too much.
Beer is light and airy with a nice fruitiness, an almost pineapple like flavor, interesting. I"d have it again.
Jun 19, 2012Aroma is funky, sour, a little acetic but not too much.
Beer is light and airy with a nice fruitiness, an almost pineapple like flavor, interesting. I"d have it again.
Reviewed by craytonic from District of Columbia
3.03/5 rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Appearance: Dark with low carbonation
Smell: I found it a bit off, a couple people like it but I got funk and bandaids in a bad way
Taste: I found this a bit off, pineapples perhaps? Just didn't fit with the color or appearance
Mouthfeel: low carbonation and a bit thin
Overall: a big let down, glad I got to tick it but it seemed off
Jun 15, 2012Smell: I found it a bit off, a couple people like it but I got funk and bandaids in a bad way
Taste: I found this a bit off, pineapples perhaps? Just didn't fit with the color or appearance
Mouthfeel: low carbonation and a bit thin
Overall: a big let down, glad I got to tick it but it seemed off
Reviewed by ehammond1
4.04/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Bottle (2011)
Thanks for opening this, murbubbler!
(Aged for 1 year)
Hazy, bright yellow with a small off-white head that leaves dots of stick down the glass.
Bright, aroma of pineapple, tropical fruit, and lychee.
The flavor follows the aroma with a significant sour elements as well. The pineapple/lychee flavor is big throughout, along with a relatively high level of sour.
Thin to medium bodied with low carbonation.
I loved this one. The flavors were bright, unique, and quite tasty.
Apr 26, 2012Thanks for opening this, murbubbler!
(Aged for 1 year)
Hazy, bright yellow with a small off-white head that leaves dots of stick down the glass.
Bright, aroma of pineapple, tropical fruit, and lychee.
The flavor follows the aroma with a significant sour elements as well. The pineapple/lychee flavor is big throughout, along with a relatively high level of sour.
Thin to medium bodied with low carbonation.
I loved this one. The flavors were bright, unique, and quite tasty.
Reviewed by cpetrone84 from Pennsylvania
3.72/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.72/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
pour pale yellow, transparent, thin tight white head. Nose is pungent and musty. There is some musky funk, a little sweaty with an over powering nose of grapefruit with skin. The grapefruit dominates the flavor, tastes like a whole grapefruit with skin. The musk is light with a touch of cheese and bitterness in the finish. The body is light, a touch oily, fairly dry and good carbonation.
Apr 10, 2012Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California
3.42/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.42/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Bottle pour sampled at mrbubbler's tasting.
Pours a murky yellow with a bone colored head that fades to an oily film on top of the beer. No lacing on this one. Smell is of tropical fruit and some slight vegetal aromas. Taste is of slightly sour and funky tropical fruit flavors. This beer has a low level of carbonation with a somewhat flat mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good sour but the mouthfeel is pretty lacking in my opinion.
Apr 10, 2012Pours a murky yellow with a bone colored head that fades to an oily film on top of the beer. No lacing on this one. Smell is of tropical fruit and some slight vegetal aromas. Taste is of slightly sour and funky tropical fruit flavors. This beer has a low level of carbonation with a somewhat flat mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good sour but the mouthfeel is pretty lacking in my opinion.
Open Container from Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
84 out of
100 with
55 ratings
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