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SLOambic
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- From:
- Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Wild Ale
- ABV:
- 5.6%
- Score:
- 96
- Avg:
- 4.36 | pDev: 7.57%
- Reviews:
- 41
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 14, 2022
- Added:
- Aug 10, 2009
- Wants:
- 115
- Gots:
- 63
We are fortunate to have great relationships with our local growers who provide us with superb fruit for our beers. Like last year, we had the opportunity to purchase fresh marionberries and boysenberries, both close cousins to the blackberry, so we pounced. For this vintage, fresh berries were added to Sour Opal, a beer matured up to 24 months in oak barrels, and then fermented using our proprietary blend of microflora for an additional 3 months. Bursting with ripe berries and brambles, as well as hints of jam, the fruit gives way to a rustic funk and soft oak flavors, finishing with a mouth-watering acidity.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by deschutes_fan:
Reviewed by deschutes_fan from California
4.48/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.48/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
375mL Bottle
-Pours a deep ruby red with pink foam which fades almost immediately.
-Smell is a nice musty barnyard funk mixed with some berry fruitiness.
- Taste is quite puckering sour and yogurt lactic funky. The fruit hits with good raspberry/blackberry flavors (I have no idea what an olallieberry is). Flavors fade quickly and finish is dry. Slightly jammy.
- Overall an extremely drinkable and pleasant sour that is well balanced. Decent complexity. Flavors fade a bit quickly (would've liked it to be more jammy), but still excellent. Reminds me of the two jester king sours I've had, Atrial and Nocturn.
Feb 07, 2015-Pours a deep ruby red with pink foam which fades almost immediately.
-Smell is a nice musty barnyard funk mixed with some berry fruitiness.
- Taste is quite puckering sour and yogurt lactic funky. The fruit hits with good raspberry/blackberry flavors (I have no idea what an olallieberry is). Flavors fade quickly and finish is dry. Slightly jammy.
- Overall an extremely drinkable and pleasant sour that is well balanced. Decent complexity. Flavors fade a bit quickly (would've liked it to be more jammy), but still excellent. Reminds me of the two jester king sours I've had, Atrial and Nocturn.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Noah_Aimar from Oregon
3.87/5 rDev -11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.87/5 rDev -11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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!
Aug 07, 2019Smell 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!
Reviewed by JamFuel from Sweden
4.46/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.46/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
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.
Oct 14, 2018Pours 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.
Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong
4.34/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
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.
Jul 10, 2018Appearance: 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.
SLOambic from Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
96 out of
100 with
340 ratings
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