Hybrid Sequence 0.005
Stillwater Artisanal Ales

ive been so lucky to have had a few in this special series of grape wild ales, this is really cool stuff, although i wonder how well they are doing over time, like this seems a little more acidic than i remember any of the others being, maybe going a little bacterial on the shelf, still unique on the ferment and amazing, just somewhat less delicate and drinkable to me. the one is with cabernet franc grapes, so i was shocked to see it pour golden yellow color and not pink or purple or red, no color from the fruit at all, must be no skin contact, clear through most of it, a little haze toward the bottom, nice high white belgian looking head with a slow fade, and a real sparkle to it. the nose on this is tangy and tannic, pears and green apples, crab apples, and white cranberries, fruity, puckery, slightly under ripe to me, hay and straw, crackery pils malt thats weirdly fresh to me in this, minerals, new oak, and grass. the flavor is more obviously grape forward, tangy tight white wine, dried flowers, dried lemon peel, and more green apple and sparkling apple cider. the grain is a little lighter than it smells but it does ground this, and there is some uniqueness to the ferment behind the initial acidity, old bretty must, light animal funk, and a wet lawn in summer thing, still lively even in all its maturity. clay and soil, white currants and piquant citrus, green grape, and enough wood to soften the sour. wonderful carbonation and excitement on this, warms up pretty well although also with the lightest cheesy element. flavorful and fun, not my favorite in the series at this point, but a pretty cool beer to find in the wild and get to share with my homie on our trip. a beauty, but would have loved to try it fresh!

edit: getting more sour and less grape forward over time, less like lambic, more intense and sharp, still awesome, but you might not have forever on these as i originally thought...

L: Generic golden blonde ale.
S: Strong tarty oak notes.
T: A light sour bretty tarty flavor with hints of oak and a clean dry sour finish.
F: A light, sweet berry flavor.
O: A light sweet enjoyable wild ale with hints of the usual suspects but in a lighter, more enjoyable form.

L: Slightly hazy amber color, no head and lacing, light carbonation.

S: Sour, grapes.

T: Sour, grapes, lots of acidity.

F: Medium bodied, tons of flavor, hard to drink due to extreme acidity.

O: Acid grapes.