Umae Umami
The Livery

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Keith for sharing this one over the weekend. Review from written notes.

Pours placidly and still, a few larger surface juice bubbles quickly dissipate. Color is a cider-like dark orange, slight haze to it. No lace or carbonation visible.

Aroma is probably the best thing here, lots of barrel funk with an indistinct fruit note that must be from the plums.

Completely still with no carbonation, light to medium feel, though the flavors make it feel "fuller" to an extent. Kind of slick and cidery, sort of blah. Acetic note present, and a savory quality that could be interpreted as umami. Tastes are a little odd, the barrel seems to contribute the main flavors, funky with a hint of stonefruit in the middle. Can't say I was a fan of this really, though it was interesting to try.

 

 

Thanks to Jeff for cracking this one open during the tasting. Pours a steely-looking copper color with a moderate haze throughout. Head is minimal, light-tan in color, may be slightly in part of the crappy pour I gave it. Aroma is full of oak chips floating in a deep sea of bourbon, a thick, slick sugar sweetness. Dark fruits heavy on the nose as well, almost imparting a crispy tartness right along with the deep and heavy bourbon. An interesting mix of aromas on this one, not quite sure how I feel about it.

The taste is a unique collaboration of wild/sour flavors meshing alongside a sea of bourbon barrel aged flavors. The malt lays out a heavy infrastructure; thick, sweet candied dark fruits, plums, dates, and figs. The sourness darts in and hits you heavily with tart apples, grapes, and pears. Bourbon is strong inside the base from start to finish - same with the heavy oak flavors. There's no question about this being a bourbon barrel brew. Caramel malts are thick and heavy on the finish, along with a dying tartness that turns to a sweetness that synthesizes with the malty dark fruits. The oak and bourbon are still relevant, long into the aftertaste. Medium body, just on the edge of being sticky, low-end of the carbonation spectrum.

Haven't tasted anything quite like this one. Heavy characteristics from two sides of the spectrum - bourbon barrels and sour ale yeast. A pairing that tastes better than it sounds, although I'm not sure I'm completely in tune with this one. Definitely a nice change of pace, but it just might be a little too strange for me. Not sure how I like the flavor compound.

 

On draught at HopCat for the Wood and Wild Ale Festival 2012, into a tulip.

Hazy browner orange, with a white ring of head. Minimal lace. Nose of caramelized apple, caramel, some wheat, plum skins and a sweet oaky barrel character. Taste has a sweet wheat wine base, with underripe plums, heavy caramel, oak barrel, toffee and green apple/plum skin tartness on the back end. A good chunk of ethanol as well in the end. Fuller feel, added to by the alcohol content. Lowe carbonation. A complex and curious offering, but I can't say UI was blown away - definite sipper.

 

 

 

 

 

64oz growler shared at a great A2 tasting--thanks James!
Umae Umami pours a dark amber with nearly no head and very light carbonation. We actually had this growler filled at the HopCat and noticed it was under carbonated having samples of it on tap at the time. Smell is prickly fruit, oak, light red wine, a bit of funk and sour acetone. The taste is sour prunes, sour grape skin, and oaky tannins along with some celery & veggie-like dryness on the finish. Tart, dark fruit dominates the mid-palate.
It’s highly drinkable with a medium-full body and I easily drank my fair share of around 16+ oz.
New batch in the barrel and coming soon!