ASMR Frisson 003
Stillwater Artisanal Ales

 

 

I got a late start on this past Sunday's NBS (Week 774) & I did not finish up my DelMarVa (+ DC) adventure as planned. 8=( Further, I have promised that next week's NBS (Week 775) will be dedicated to the wonderful beers sent to me by @jkblr who seems to have a real handle on my drinking habits. CANsparency is key in these things! As a result, I am going to CANcentrate over the next few days on eradicating everything that would have CANbined to form the finale of the DelMarVa (+ DC) adventure. Sit down, strap in & hang on. It's gonna be a wild ride!

Speaking of Wild, thanks to staying with BAL & MD, I now have an AmeriCAN Wild Ale as my next beer! If this keeps up, I'm going to get my status as a hophead in good standing revoked! 8=(

From the CAN: "Sour Ale brewed with Pink Guava, Flaked Wheat & CANdy Sugar".

I was curious as I Crack!ed open the vent for a slow, gentle C-Line Glug. What color were these wild men going to bring me this time? I was fully expecting CANother pink masterpiece as I beCAN. Imagine my shock & surprise when it turned out to be an oh-so-slightly-hazy Yellow-Gold (SRM = 4 - 5)! 8=O It also foamed up mightily to form two-plus fingers of fizzy, foamy, rocky, bone-white head with limited retention, quickly falling away to wisps. Nose had a tart fruitiness or was it a fruity tartness? Either way, I could not identify it simply from the nose. Mouthfeel was thin-to-medium, not watery, but not far removed, either. The taste was rather weak as CANpared to 002. It was lightly tart in an undefined way, lacking Ooomph! & direction. I just could not get a sense of what it was all about. I definitely would not have guessed pink guava & the CANdy sugar seemed to have been lost in translation. The wheat was CANtributing to the tartness, but I just was not impressed. Finish was tart & dry, but I was glad to be finished with this one. YMMV.

really cool beer, glad to see some stillwater cans here in boise. maybe not quite as dramatic and amazing as the blueberry one in this series, but the guava really pops here, and the beer is drinkable and flavorful and good. gone i guess are the days where guava is always in beer with other tropical fruit, it seems like its coming into vogue being used on its own, and its cool in this beer, where its allowed to be the lead dog in the flavor. its juicy and ripe and smells and tastes like vacation, a little mouthwatering with the sourness of the beer, which is piquant but not too acidic, and balanced by earthy raw tasting wheat and the fluffy texture it brings to this, its not thin or sharp or anything at all, rather smooth and rich for what it is, the mouthfeel of this is awesome. notes of lemon and orange here too, maybe a trace of a vanilla essence or something, could be from the candy sugar, nothing really belgian about it, but lightly estery and desserty without being sweet. i still think stillwater makes some of the most high quality creative beers out there, all very new school these days, but this is better than what so many others are doing in the category, and it drinks distinctive and delicious. a cool can of beer here, a real good little series so far!

 

 

Can to tulip.
The appearance was a nice looking burnt yellow semi-thick on the 'chill hazy' look running about. It started off with a semi-thick two finger white foamy head. This head dissipated within a good amount of time. Just a little bit of wispy concave lace.
The aroma had some shaved passion fruit, pink guava, orange peel, lemon rind and some sweet biscuits maintaining the backbone.
The flavor moderately leaned towards the sour end with a developing tart to sweet character, all of those prior mentioned aromatic fruits seemed to push forward while pushing the malts further back. Subtle sour to tart fruity aftertaste with an exceptionally low malt tone.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sipping quality about it. Carbonation felt good. Some smoothness bumping into some stickiness. Mild finish of guava/passion fruity skin, sour with some tart and appropriate fruity skin sweet.
Overall, pretty damn good sour ale, I'd be willing to come back to.