Cherry Michael From The Wood
Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company

On tap at at the brew pub. Aged in French Pinot noir barrels.

Very sour and acidic. Has a nail polish remover flavor. Tart cherries. Oak. Red grape and wine flavors. Light caramel/toffee malt. Red apple skins.

Medium bodied.

This is a very odd beer with a lot of mixed flavors. Not sure if I like it or not.

 

 

On tap at the brewery's taproom 3/24/2015.

Look: Nearly opaque ruby red to brown, hardly any head.

Smell: Acidic and fruity, hints of oak in background. Tremendous promise of what's to come.

Taste: Promise fulfilled. Multi-dimensional, fruit and malt and acidic, again just barest hint of oak (let it volatilize). Rewarding and surprisingly drinkable for a strong sour, with just the right touch of gentle acidic 'burn' on the back of the throat.

Feel: Medium-light body. Not surprising for a well-attenuated beer at 6.2% ABV.

Overall: Utterly worthwhile for fans of the sours. Delivers on its promise.

 

 

 

Appearance- Slight amount of head that doesn't have a chance to show its retention. The head is a light rose/off-white while the body is an almost opaque dark chocolate brown which shows the smallest hints of brown at the base of the glass.

Nose- Very subtle. Some cherries, suggestion of strawberries which is more like a strawberry shortcake. I guess this means this beer also has a little bit of cream to it.

Taste- Starts off with lots of tart cherry which pretty much dominates the entire flavor profile. Very fleshy with suggestion of other stone fruits. Some grain. Slight bitterness which counteracts the super sweet and tart quality of the cherries. Some straw. Don't really get the barrel aged aspect of this beer or if it was even necessary. I wish I could remember the regular Cherry Michael more. I feel that it was lighter and more syrupy. Slight notes of straw with a little bit of funk. Tiny edge of oak. Good to really good beer at the moment. Some hints of cinnamon, almost suggests Big Red gum. Some plum, some strawberry. Slowly but surely a vanilla foundation starts to take over and its linger on my mouth is sticky and long lasting. This beer almost tasted better after I was drinking it. I really didn't get the barrel aged character until later.

Mouthfeel- Between light and medium bodied with a whole bunch of carbonation. The zing really works well with the tart character of the cherries.

Drinkability- Fairly accessible for a sour. Probably wouldn't go for it again because it is 8.50 for a 12 oz pour. Still a nice beer to try.

Overall- Good to really good beer. Solid cherry, solid Flanders Red. Doesn't really show the barrel aging. Worth a try if not worth the price. Still pretty consistent with good Flanders Reds. I think Oude Tart is pricier.

 

Served in a 12oz snifter.
Appearance was very dark with a very slight red hue to it. Very little to no head was present.

Smell was something of greatness. Scents of cherries, oak, dark fruits, and a slight tingle of the pinot barrel it was aged in for upwards of 18 months. Also some funk in there as well, but it gets you interested.

Taste was about the same. Hits the palette with upfront sour on the tongue, develops into a smooth mouthfeel with the taste of the cherry, dark fruit, and its not over powering, but enough to make you want another sip. The oak and pinot are subtle, but can be noticed once it warms a little.

Mouthfeel was very smooth, little to no carbonation was present, I wasnt told the ABV, but im sure it was over 10% but you cant tell with how the beer develops in the mouth.

Overall, I would get this again if it was on tap, due to it's a rotating tap. Will be making a trip back to Portland for more HoTD.