Diamond Rain
Fort George Brewery + Public House

bottle gifted from my boy, straight legend, have saved it for a bit, but also was thinking about putting it on the back of a dusty shelf that i wont touch for years and im glad i didnt, the spontaneous language on the label almost had me, but actually this already tastes kind of old, woody and good, tart and funky, not saying it doesnt present as wild and mature, but its the lactic part thats taking over and to me this doesnt need more time. its got a rich almost bronze color, clear most of the way but there is some real chunky coagulated crap at the very bottom, high headed for being this acidic, white, fizzy top to bottom. woody and lambic-esque for awhile, lemon and white wine vinegar as it warms, brine in the flavor, homemade cleaner in the nose, my wife puts this stuff on bathroom surfaces i think, not that its so sour, but its bacterial in a way that more time will not flatter it. i like it being malty, biere de garde aspects to the core, french and estery for a flash, especially as it warms, things like pears, wet newsprint, those dehydrated mango slices that are covered in chili spice, this has spice to it, some of it seeming oak derived, acetic in that slightly higher order way, but with great carbonation. i think its possible my standard for this sort of thing has gotten so high, like only the best of the best truly resonates in this space anymore, i dont know, i liked it but i expected more from it too, especially being fort george. i would likely have been frustrated if i squirreled this for a bunch of years, like is this getting less sour, probably not, excited to pop the blackcap raspberry edition here right away...

Poured from a 500ml bottle dated 2023 into a Teku glass at 49 degrees.

Look- Medium gold, very slight haze, white frothy head, average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Earthy, floral, funk, oak, between medium and high strength of scent.

Taste- Earthy, oak, fruity, highly sour, mildly sweet, high strength of flavor.

Feel- Between thin and medium body, slightly below average carbonation, highly dry finish, highly sour, mildly sweet.

Overall- Medium gold with very slight haze and average head retention and lacing. Nose was a mix of earthy, funky, oak and floral character. Flavor was fruity with oak and earthy notes. Body was on the thinner side with a very dry finish. Overall this was a complex beer that delivered an interesting drinking experience.