Árcáná (Red Wine BA)
Stillwater Artisanal Ales

 

 

12oz bottle cellared for one year, and served in a tulip. Nose from the bottle is red wine, Flanders-Red-esque balsalmic, with a touch of Belgian yeast and funk on the backend. Pours a light cola and gathers in the glass as a deep brown/black with a rapidly rising, densely foamy 2-3 finger head. The head recedes to leave substantial lacing. Nose from the glass is fairly equal to that from the bottle, with big promises of a Flanders-Red-like Belgian take. The palate is striking. Complex, with a lot of different stylistic elements going on here. Flanders funk and Belgian balsalmic open the beer, but with a thinner mouthfeel that gives a lighter air than the richer Rodenbach Grand Cru (for example). The beer continues into a light, Belgian-farmhouse-like mid-palate, with an aftertaste reminiscent of a dryer Pinot Noir. An exceptionally deep and complex beer. The mouthfeel (particularly as it emphasizes the less exciting middle of the seemingly tripartite palate) is really the only element here leaving something to be desired. While not a perfect finished product, it's a bold, exciting merging of styles. Absolutely worth seeking out.

(Oh. And no. There is nothing stout-like about this beer. Save perhaps the color.)

 

Farmhouse stout per the label, not usually a style I like but this one is red wine BA so I picked up a bottle. Pours like a stout, dark with a creamy head. Barely perceptible roasted aroma in this, the red wine dominates. Taste largely follows - limited roasted character but a lot of red wine, perhaps a hint of funk. Overall a big fan of this one.

Poured into a snifter.

3.0 A: Black color. About a finger of fizzy light brown head that falls about as quickly as it forms and leaves no lacing.

4.25 S: Strange and interesting. The roasted barley and wine barrel immediately stick out. Dark cherry and vinous grape tangy fruitiness. Next all the funkiness hits - big barnyard, dry wood, wildflowers, and sweat. Hints of oak and vanilla. It somehow all blends together really well.

3.5 T: Unfortunately, the flavors don't mesh as well in the taste. I've never been a huge fan of roastiness and wine barrel and the funk further convolutes the profile. Tangy grape, cherry, roasted barley, outdoorsy funk, dry wood, vanilla, mixed berry. Vanilla and molasses. It's tart and roasty, funky and oaky, and it just okay.

3.5 M: Light to lighter medium body. A touch more carbonation than is needed, but okay. Just a mild creaminess.

3.5 D: Eh, it's okay. It's just a concoction that doesn't make that much sense to me.

 

L thin head that never leaves. Dark brown. Nice looking lace.
S caramel, earthy goodness, funk, tart cherry, smoke, oak
T granny Smith apple, tart cherry, vinegar, reviewing is hard
M high carbonation, thin
O very interesting and complex. I wish I could taste/smell better for this. It's a good treat but for 12$ a 12oz bottle I won't get it again.

330 ml bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours pitch black color with a 1-2 finger dense tan head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of big dark chocolate, cocoa, molasses, licorice, red wine, cranberry, cherry, raisin, plum, date, pepper, clove, dark bread, toasted oak, light smoke, and yeast/roasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, wine barrel, and roast/bready malt notes; with good strength. Taste of big dark chocolate, cocoa, molasses, licorice, red wine, cranberry, cherry, raisin, plum, date, pepper, clove, dark bread, toasted oak, light smoke, and yeast/roasted earthiness. Moderate amount of roast bitterness/yeast spiciness and light-moderate tannic red wine tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, molasses, licorice, red wine, cranberry, cherry, raisin, pepper, clove, dark bread, oak, and yeast/roasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, wine barrel, and roast/bready malt flavors; with a great roasted bittersweet/spicy/tart balance finish with zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy, and lightly sticky/chalky/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice Belgian stout style. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy, wine barrel, and roast/bready flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink. A very enjoyable offering.