Rouge
Pisgah Brewing Co.

 

 

 

Poured into a Duvel tulip. No freshness date.

A- Pours a reddish medium brown color with a 1/2 inch light tan head that retains well before becoming a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a full sheet of sheer surface foam. Semi-resilient lacing leaves large clots behind.

S- Smells like a Flanders Oud Bruin. Solid malt presence with some lactic acid and cherry fruit character.

T- Good burst of sweet cherry flavor that's immediately counteracted with assertive acidic tartness. There's also a sturdy malt backing providing nice balance along with some oak tannins. Very easy to drink for the relatively high ABV. The more I drink, the more I realize just how very acidic this beer is.

M- Tangy with a higher amount of pucker. Tickle in the back of the throat from the big acidity. Medium carbonation and a body leaning toward the lighter side.

O- My only criticism of this beer is the excessive acidic bite but, other than that, it has great character and great fruit presence. Pisgah did this one right.

 

Look: murky brown, opaque, with a few floaties.

Smell: primarily vinegar sour, some awesome Brown sugar, molasses and general malt sweetness underlies the sour characteristics. Some oak and barnyard funk are also barely present. Maraschino cherries (sweet, almost artifical cherry) scent.

Taste: yikes! First: there's a fantastic base beer present that provides an undercurrent of brown sugar, molasses, caramel and dark bread. Vinegary sourness, some barnyard funk and mild hay, dark, tart cherries.

Mouthfeel: friends argue it's overcarbonated, I couldn't disagree more: the carbonation seems natural, almost fuzzy or "bubbly." Moderate feel, sweetness resides while sour disappears rather rapidly.

Overall: my my. This was a wonderful surprise. This could hang easily with some of the best American sours out there (reminds me a bit of RR Supplication). I love this and will definitely seek out more.

 

An average pour yields a big two to three finger head, very airy and light so it dissipates with quickness and a crackle, no stick to the lacing. Cloudy reddish brown hued liquid, plenty of visible bubbles rising swiftly towards the surface. The nose loaded with those sour cherries, the oak comes through as well, has an edgily vinous volatility to it, has a grassy as well as mildly metallic side to it, does not evolve much as it warms but does gain in intensity. Medium-bodied, fluffs up from the carbonation during the mouth entry, however, its acidic sourness trumps this without breaking a sweat. Grapey unto vinegar, the alcohol is perceptible and contributes to its “wildness.” The oak has minimal creaminess, more along the lines of American oak dill flavoring. Might be a little caramel or toffee under all those cherries but that’s just a guess. Monomaniacal, this is one relentless brew which just about has to be washed out of your mouth in order to stop tasting it. Lovers of sour beers should seek it out, the outsized cherry flavor makes it somewhat accessible to a newbie.

L - Cherry red, 1/2 finger of head, and some nice lacing left on the top of the brew

S - Vinegar, cherries, vinegar

T - Tart! Cherries, sour as H. The punch at the end of vinegar, takes this one up above the rest. But a sweet punch from the cherries. Perfection

F - Medium body, high in carbonation.

O - Ok, Pisgah kills it. Maybe the best sour I have ever had. I want more. I need more!

 

"Bottle conditioned sour brown ale aged in Oak casks with cherries added"

Interesting sour from Pisgah. Picked it up on a whim while visiting the brewery without tasting it. Glad we did. Lots of head (bottle conditioned so be careful). The first whiff makes your mouth water with anticipation. Luckily, it follows through wit a forward sour taste. Light cherry taste in the finish. Good beer.