Wild Feijoa Sour Ale 2014
8 Wired Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As exotic fruit options lean upon the common flavors in sour ale, it's up to brewers like 8 Wired to carve, sculpt and direct their flavor to achieve their acclaim.

Feijoa pours a clean and slightly hazed straw color with a dainty swirl of foam. Above which, the enticing aromas of lemon, lime, green apples, white vinegar, burlap and cider capture the nose and draw the first taste near. Once the taste is realized, any short-lived sweetness is cast aside with all its confectionate pea and warhead candied effects.

As the middle palate opens up, the bright sourness of the beer quickly overshadows its fleeting sweetness. Those beautiful sour citrus notes overtake the flavors while immense sourness builds. Dry cider, champagne and hints of vinegar layer upon the tongue while a spicy pepper, balsa and cork-ike balance rounds the taste.

Proving to be superiorly sour, the light and crisp body of the beer is clean and refreshing from start to finish. Bone dry to the late palate the ale finishes effortlessly on the palate while earth and citrus return in short waves.

 

 

A: Fruit aroma of strawberries, pineapple with strong sour character and a hint of wine and oak on the finish

A: Slightly opaque coppery color with light head retention

T: Strong sour initial presence, flavor opens up with strawberries and pineapples with a vinous finish

M: Med mouthfeel with light carbonation, some alcohol

O: Pretty damn tasty, though finishes a little boozy. Growing up I used to love eating pineapple guavas (feijoas), so I’m sure I’m slightly biased here… but overall a clean beer that’s refreshing