Vindication
Schooner's Grille & Brewery

Served from an unlabeled 6 oz bottle with a V marked on the cap, bought from the brewery... I don't think they were supposed to sell them to me.

A: Looks very dark, a little murky with ruby highlights, and a pink tinted head.

S: Sour, acedic, and fruity. There's also some roasty and sweet malty notes under all that acid, but it's dominated by the sour.

T: Tart, but not puckering. There's a lot of sweetness there to balance out the sourness. There are all sorts of fruit flavors mixed in with chocolate and coffee. It's not as clean as many other sours but it works really well. Exceptionally unique and and oustanding blended beer. I wish this were a direction other breweries would explore.

M: There's a lot of body here for a sour beer. It's definitely a desert drink.

D: I'm not sure how much I could drink of this, but I know that my small bottle was not enough. For a big beer, this one drank just fine and I'd welcome some more.

Brewmaster Craig Cauwels has been brewing at Schooner's for eight years. While he may have earned a gold medal for his American Ale (a light Cream Ale) at the California State Fair right off the bat, he came into his own with this beer. BA calls in "Vindication," but Craig calls it "Vin.de.cation," which stands for Vinnie (Cilurzo of Russian River) Needs a Vacation.

His beers have garnered 75-ish awards including a vaunted gold for the Oatmeal Stout at Great American Beer Festival and, most recently, the People's Choice Award for Vin.de.cation--this stout cherry Lambic with that Oatmeal Stout as the base beer and fermented with Brettanomyces--at the Bistro's Barrel-Aged Beer Fest in Hayward.

Yep, this one beat Vinnie's beers.

In the pantheon of truly glorious and memorable beers, this one can hang. The rich Oatmeal Stout lays the foundation. The cherry juice brightens it up. And the sour Brett provides the shining beacon on top.

This only shows up at festivals lately, but if you go into Schooner's in Antioch, ask if they have any available. And if it's too acidic (heavy Balsamic vinegar in the finish), ask them to cut it with a splash of their Stout (preferably Oatmeal, but the Dry Irish will do). And it pairs wonderfully with the peanut butter chocolate pie.

Not sure who brought the keg of this to the RBSG 08 Grand Tasting but thanks. Pours a dark opaque brown with a large-bubbled head. Aroma is chocolate malt and red fruit with a very wine-like acidity. Flavor is sharp and winey with a cocoa/roasty finish. Interesting beer for sure, but I'm not so convinced that a winey stout should exist.