Tarte Rouge
Odd Side Ales

 

 

 

 

500 ml bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but was just released. Pours slightly hazy reddish orange color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy light khaki head with solid retention, that reduces to a thin spotty lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big tart/sour cherry, raisin, plum, strawberry, blueberry, apricot, green apple, red grape, fruit skin, almond, hay, straw, oak, pepper, brown sugar, and toasted bread; with lighter notes of leathery/musty funk, vanilla, red wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, grapes, oak barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tart/sour cherry, raisin, plum, strawberry, blueberry, apricot, green apple, red grape, fruit skin, almond, hay, straw, oak, pepper, brown sugar, and toasted bread; with lighter notes of leathery/musty funk, vanilla, red wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tart/sourness; light yeast/tannic oak spiciness and fruit tang on the finish. Lingering notes of sour cherry, raisin, plum, strawberry, blueberry, apricot, green apple, red grape, fruit skin, almond, hay, straw, oak, pepper, brown sugar, toasted bread, vanilla, light funk/vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, grapes, oak barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; with an awesome malt/sourness and tangy fruit balance, with zero puckering flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from sour/tartness and tangy fruit. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy/acidic, and fairly tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is awesome. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 6%. Overall this is a fantastic fruited sour red ale! All around outstanding complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, grapes, oak barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and refreshing to drink with the modestly lactic/tangy/tannic/drying finish. Awesome well rounded Brett/Lacto complexity, great fruit/oak presence, and balancing malts against acidity. A highly enjoyable offering, and spot on style example.