Orchard Blend
Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal

 

330 ml bottle into tulip glass, best before 2/31/2018. Pours slightly hazy ruby reddish copper color with a 2 finger fairly dense and rocky off white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice dense soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of sour/tart/tangy cherries, fruit skin, raspberry, cranberry, blackberry, lemon, lime, green apple, red grape/wine, oak, hay, straw, grass, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted bread; with lighter notes of pepper, leathery/musty funk, balsamic vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, apple, cherry, oak, and moderate dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big sour/tart/tangy cherries, fruit skin, raspberry, cranberry, blackberry, lemon, lime, green apple, red grape/wine, oak, hay, straw, grass, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted bread; with lighter notes of pepper, leathery/musty funk, balsamic vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tart/sourness, fruit tang, and light yeast/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of sour/tangy cherries, fruit skin, raspberry, cranberry, blackberry, lemon, lime, green apple, red grape/wine, oak, hay, straw, grass, caramel, brown sugar, toasted bread, pepper, leathery/musty funk, balsamic vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, apple, cherry, oak, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; with a nice malt/tart/sourness balance. Lightly increasing pucker through the glass, but not overwhelming. Light-moderate increasing dryness from tart/sourness and tangy fruit. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy/acidic/tangy, and lightly tannic balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 7%. Overall this is an excellent fruited dark sour ale. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, apple, cherry, oak, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink; despite the increasingly acidic/tangy/tannic/drying finish. Great balance of Brett/Bacteria, fruit, oak, and dark/bready malts. A bit heavy on the vinegar, but it's never bothered me before. Very close to the Flanders red style. A very enjoyable offering, and well made style example as expected.