Mr. Joshua
Sun King Brewing Company

Brisk, brown and brazen, the brewers at Sun King refuse to believe that the premiere taste of classic sour ale has to come with such modest alcohol content. Pushing the oude bruin style well past imperial status gives their beer an entitled status that's worthy of the "Mr." prefix.

So, Mr. Joshua entices the senses with a boisterous cherry, woods, red wine, cocoa and sherry-like seduction. Hazy garnet and casting a low key froth on the rim, the beer leads with a taste of steely caramel, pecan, hard candy and light honey.

Once its sweetness settles onto the middle palate, the acidity begins to wash away the bulk of maltiness and highlight the fruit flavors that span cherry, red grape, dates and black raspberry. Spicy with a balance of peppercorn, allspice and vinous red wine and then the beer begins to favor the tartness. A sherry-like taste brings about the savory flavors of balsamic but with the spiciness of chambord liquor. Its late palate is broadly bittered with weathered woods, moss and the likeness of stale coffee.

Medium bodied and spicy to close, the beer's imperial strength comes with added bulk at the detriment of refreshment but for the benefit of complexity and additional flavors. Where utmost in culinary art is achieved, so are the stronger acetone alcohols that come across like super glue in its medium length, heated and mildly medicinal finish.

Had on tap. The malting in this is a lethal weapon, so much that the beer tastes more like a sour stout than a flanders oud bruin. Tons of cherries both sweet and tart, vinous in nose especially. Cherry Busey was a better version of this vision, certainly more balance.