German Sparkle Party
10 Barrel Brewing Co.

the sour stuff from these guys has been hit or miss for me, and this one is a bit of a miss. i think a lot of their quick sours have a cheesy element along with the bacterial sourness that isnt bad, but really doesnt belong in a beer like a berliner, which is meant to be far cleaner than this is. not much head either, given the name, pee yellow in color, moderate haze. aroma is very acetic, acidic, vinegar notes, white wine, green apple, sweet wheat. the souring has been allowed to run a little too warm or a little too long or both, which is where some of that tannic sharpness likely comes from. the flavor isnt bad, oddly sweet from the grain, honey, kind of neat, but its a real vinegary sour profile and i dont love it. this one will have its fans i am sure, but its a little sour for me, and sits funny in the belly as a result. i do love the bubbles, which arise on the tongue very strongly and make this move despite it looking kind of flat in the glass. i think these guys do better work with their house ale yeast than anything else. this is a little amateurish, but its cool they are working on these types of styles...

 

Growler picked up from Chuck's Hop Shop in Greenwood, Seattle a few days ago. Tasted 13 June 2015.

Pours crystal clear medium golden-orange. One finger of big-bubble white head, gone quick. Not much visible carbonation. Looks like apple juice. Just okay.

Smell is a delightful balance of warm, grainy sweetness with a gentle citrus tartness. They come as a one-two, more like little pushes than punches. Lovely.

Taste is similar, but more tart and, well, sparkly. Lacks the warmth, but it's clean and crisp, a bit like sparkly water. Really.

Feel is excellent. Light, buzzy and zippy, very appropriate for the name and the beer.

Good stuff. An odd name, but the beer matches it well. Lots of zip, lots of action.