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Stillwater Artisanal Ales

BBE 10/03/19.

A cranberry-red pour, with soft, frothy head that doesn’t rise up too much, leaving spots of lace where it sloshed up onto the inside of the glass.

The nose is interesting and complex, characterized by a distinctly musty quality. Notes of grapes, cherry, raspberry, and honey compliment nicely.

Very similar to the nose, musty, tart grapes ring true, along with a subtle honey sweetness, jammy raspberry, and a touch of biscuity malt.

Light-bodied, with a tannic dryness throughout and that mildly puckering tartness following through until the end.

 

Pours a vibrant, pinkish-red hue, topped by a good sized light pink foamy head. Brew is barely translucent, showing only shadows through the body.

Slightly funky and stale aroma. Raspberries, grapes, cherry pits, tannins, must, caramel, honey.

Flavor matches the aroma, with very mild tartness, raspberry and strawberry notes, grapes, light pepper, and pilsner malt.

Lively and drinkable; matches the low-ish ABV.

Am I wrong about the pilsner malt? It kind of stands out in a brew styled as an American Wild Ale - that carries very low sourness.

 

 

16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 10/3/2018. Pours slightly hazy light reddish/pinkish orange/amber color; with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and rocky light pink head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Thick soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance, great color. Aromas of big sour/tart/tangy red grapes, fruit skin, plum, currant, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, lemon, orange, peach, pear, melon, red/green apple, red/white wine, hay, straw, grass, wheat, and toasted biscuit; with light notes of peppercorn, leathery/musty funk, red wine vinegar, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, red grapes, and bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big sour/tart/tangy red grapes, fruit skin, plum, currant, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, lemon, orange, peach, pear, melon, red/green apple, red/white wine, hay, straw, grass, wheat, and toasted biscuit; with light notes of peppercorn, leathery/musty funk, red wine vinegar, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tart/sourness; fruit tang, and light yeast spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/sour red grapes, fruit skin, plum, currant, berries, lemon, orange, peach, pear, melon, red/green apple, red/white wine, hay, straw, grass, wheat, toasted bread, pepper, light leather/funk/vinegar, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, red grapes, and bready malt flavors; with an awesome malt/tart/sourness and tangy fruit balance; with no puckering flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering tart/sourness and tangy fruit. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, and acidic/tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 5.5%. Overall this is an excellent fruited sour/wild ale. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, red grapes, and bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/tannic/drying finish, not overly lactic. Awesome balance of jammy grapes and Brett/bacteria complexity; with a nice sized pale/wheat malt backbone against acidity. A very enjoyable offering, and awesome style example as expected.