SLOambic
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

Looks is awesome, looks exactly like berry juice
Smell is sort of underwhelming for a beer I was hoping would be bursting with berries.
Taste is a bit subtle, no wow factor coming through for the hints of berries although it is obvious this beer is well crafted.
Feel is ok, very foamy carbonation.

This barrelworks creation was a miss for me, maybe I just wasn't in the mood. Luckily its still a great beer and I have two more bottles to see if it grows on me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Batch 003.

Pours a deep, vibrant red with some wispy head.

Smell is tart with nice rolling notes of raspberries and blackberries and a hint of vinegar and cherries.

Taste is right on the edge of sour with a hint of vinegar. Big notes of raspberries, blackberries and a hint of sloe on the long, dry finish. Complex and juicy.

Mouthfeel is thin to medium with bright carbonation.

Overall, a terrific sour with great balance and depth.

 

 

 

 

A 375ml corked and caged bottle. Batch No. 003, bottled on 8th November 2016. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.

Appearance: A clear ruby purple colour with a big two finger pinkish head that dissipated quickly while leaving only sparse to no lacing.

Aroma: Tart, blackberry, mixed berries, lightly jammy.

Taste: Sour, tart, blackberry, mixed berries, with a touch of oak and funk.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.

Overall: Very nice blackberry aroma and flavours. Enjoyable and easy to drink.

 

On tap at Apex. 2015 vintage.

Pink with a light pink head with good retention and lacing this looks great. The nose is jammy, bright and fruity, with a nice blend of seedless raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. A mild red wine note is present as well. The palate opens very fruity with the marionberry and boysenberry, noticeable in their lack of tannins, along with some strawberry. Jammy, moderately fatty to the detriment of the mouthfeel, this beer also has a nice vinous note. Red wine, vanilla, yogurt, a little lactic acid are present. Drying on the finish, this beer is medium light in body. Finish is a little lacking, maybe this beer was better fresh? The clean fruit expression is excellent, though.

375ml cork and caged bottle. Served in a wine glass. Pours a dark purple reddish body, light pink head measuring about one and half fingers, good retention, lots of lacing. Smell is tart blackberry, tannin, lactic acid, a bit of blackberry preserve, light lemon. Flavour follows; lemon, blackberry tartness, moderate lactic acidity, light tannin, a bit of red vinous character as well. Nice complexity, although the sourness itself is slightly one-note. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, good carbonation, slightly dry tart blackberry finish. A very nice wild ale with a good blackberry fruit presence.

 

 

 

 

Have had this on tap a few times at the source, the high bottle price prevents me from taking any home, but on tap, good deal. Pours a color that is berry-esque, you get that light blue, purple, pink kind of blend of colors with this one and it even has a slight 1/4" head on it that is a lighter color than the body but in the same vein. Aroma was sour lemons and berries.

Taste is definitely pushed by the high degree of sourness to it. This is like an 8 or 9 on the 10 point scale. But it isn't a one trick pony, the berries are juicy and the oak is clean and impactful. They carbonate well and always seem fresh even if its an old batch. If you're looking for funky complexity this doesn't really do that, but it does do a very nice mix of sour and fruit with plenty of oak.

I was psyched to find this at the Propagator's walk-in fridge in the gift shop. That place is awesome. The beer has a ruby and blue color to it. The smell is mild berries, oak, funk, sharp lactic tones. Taste does have a bit of depth and complexity, but not as much as others have described below. The beer is quite tart and sour, but not overly so. The berries lend a nice flavor profile that's blended with the base beer, and the oak wine barrels lend a sharp presence at the finish. I enjoyed it.

Luminous raspberry. 4
Big balsamic + red fruit Pastilles. 4
Cherry cough drops, some wood, deep forest fruits, and milk funk. 4
Dry, snappy, light. 4

Boysenberry! Lots of fruit, low on tartness. I don’t know about anything lambic - could need time to get funky. But works fine as it is. 4

 

 

 

Pours a clear deep purple with a small purple head. Smells of berries, funk, and some lactic acid. Tastes of blackberries, boysenberries, lactic acid, light vinegar, and acidity. Medium body with medium carbonation. Overall and incredible sour.

 

 

Marionberries and boysenberry soul opal, a bit strong on the hibiscus and jammy fruitiness.