Dry Cry
Stillwater Artisanal Ales

The hazy golden yellow beer pours out into a Duvel glass with at 1/2” large bubbled white head that recedes fairly slowly to a bit of a ring around the glass and a thin island of foam on the surface while leaving behind a coat of lacing on the sides of the glass. Sipping creates several small slender legs and small patches of lacing on the sides of the glass.

The aromas (which are noticeable during the pour) are mostly about some barnyard funk along with some lightly tart citrus and lemon.

The flavors are much as expected from the nose with some solid but not unpleasant barnyard funk and some citric tartness both leading way, then in the background we have some white wine grapes that make their contribution. As the beer warms some the funk begins to the background and the lemony tartness and wine like character move forward.

The mouthfeel is on the light side of medium bodied and fairly prickly with the persistent carbonation. The finish begins as the light sweetness disappears to leave the ending to the lemony tart and white wine grape, fading to a crisp and dry ending.

Overall a complex a moderately funky, citric and tart hybrid beer with both the characteristics of beer and of white wine showing. Enjoyable, drinkable and worth giving a try. That said I’ll probably not be doing a repeat since I’m losing my enthusiasm for the level of tartness provided by lacto souring.

 

This is extremely funky and sour. Even for a sour/funk fan this is pretty extreme. There are some citrusy hops hiding in there but the extreme funk rules all.

 

 

Aroma is fruit, hops and medium sweet. The flavor is fruit, malts, hops, grapefruit/tropical fruit and a long and very tart/hoppy/slightly sugary sweet finish.

At one point in recent history, I came home laden with a buncha CANs & suddenly thought, "CAN I drink all of this?" Well, maybe, maybe not, but I am sure as heck giving it a go while I am unemployed for a few months as a day-to-day substitute teacher. I like the gig since it keeps me moving & I get to work with a wide variety of students, but I am still looking for the next full-time gig. Like rust, The CANQuest (tm) never sleeps.

From the CAN: "Dry-Hopped Sour Ale Brewed With Riesling Grapes".

I Crack!ed the vent on this recent aCANquisition & beCAN a slow, gentle Glug until it became obvious that clarity was outta the question. I followed up with a heavier-handed, but not Inverted, Glug to finish the job. Once CANpleted, an in-glass swirl was next. This not only raised just under three fingers of fizzy, foamy, rocky, bone-white head with extremely limited retention, but it also made my kitchen smell like someone might have blown chunks. I kid you not, this one was stinky! Phew. My jaw began to work itself in a sympathetic response. Color was a deeply-hazy/lightly-cloudy Yellow-Gold (SRM = 4 - 5). Leaning in, the nose was not as intense as when I stirred it up. Granted, it was mostly lemon citrus with an underlying vinousness and a slight fecal stench, but nothing like that first swirl. Hey, I get it. I really do. BUT, a) I have GIRD & this kinda thing CAN leave me doubled over & b) there are extreme examples & there are also accessible ones. Mebbe a little forewarning might be in order? I promise to rate fairly & acCANding to style & not to taste. Heck, the Smell might as well be a 5 right now since short of having to help blow the CHT tanks, this is a smell unlike any other in my exbeerience. Mouthfeel was on the thin side, not watery, but not much beyond it. The taste was VERY sour, not tart, which would have meant the puckering of my lips. Instead, I caught it right in the hinges of my jaw as my ears Pop!ped & tried to maintain a sense of balance & equilibrium. After that first wash went through, it beCAN to open up in terms of its flavors. Lemon juice was prevalent, but I definitely also got a grape-y vinousness behind it, along with a fecal-like raw sewage blast. Wow, but this was tough. I could feel the furnace under my solar plexus flame on & I knew that I would be paying for this one. Again, I know that these are all selling points for the Tart/Sour crowd, but it just isn't me. I felt like a masochist, testing the limits of my endurance. My eyes were literally watering & when I went for some water, it set off a coughing jag that made me reach for my asthma inhaler. Dry? F'n' Sahara Desert! I know that there are some that are my speed, like Drei Fontinein & some Cantillions, but this was tough. I am sure that some are laughing, thinking that I am being overdramatic, but I ain't kidding, kids, this was enough to make me cry. The smell of funk eventually beCAN to fill my nostrils & sinuses to the point that I knew that I was done. I CAN't smell anything but pungent lemons! It has happened to me before - at SAVOR 2014, when I poured for Green Flash. The Brett yeast got on my hands, in my hair, in my sinuses to the point that it took several days to recover. I am closing up shop after this to lay down in CANticipation of New Beer Sunday tomorrow. Finish was very dry, very intense & one was plenty. YMMV.

 

12 ounce can into tulip glass; no can dating, but is a recent release. Pours fairly hazy/cloudy pale golden yellow color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big tart/tangy white grape/wine, lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, green apple, passion fruit, papaya, mango, melon, guava, berry, citrus zest, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, and white bread; with lighter notes of pepper, leathery/musty funk, white wine vinegar, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, citrus/tropical hops, grapes, and moderate pale/wheat malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tart/tangy white grape/wine, lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, green apple, passion fruit, papaya, mango, melon, guava, berry, citrus zest, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, and white bread; with lighter notes of pepper, leathery/musty funk, white wine vinegar, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tartness, fruit tang; light herbal/grassy bitterness, and yeast/tannic spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of sour/tart/tangy white grape/wine, lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, green apple, passion fruit, papaya, mango, melon, guava, berry, citrus zest, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread, light funk/vinegar, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, citrus/tropical hops, grapes, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; with a great malt/tartness and tangy fruit balance. Slightly increasing pucker after the finish, but not overwhelming. Light-moderate increasing dryness from tart/sourness and tangy fruit. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/grainy/acidic/sticky, and fairly crisp/tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 6%. Overall this is an excellent fruited/dry hopped sour/wild ale! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, citrus/tropical hops, grapes, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, and easy to drink with the moderately acidic/tangy/tannic/drying finish, not overly lactic. Really well rounded Brett/Lacto complexity; balanced hops, Riesling grapes, and a solid pale/wheat malt backbone against acidity. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example as expected.