SPON - Mourvedre & Sangiovese
Jester King Brewery

Presenting a darker, hazier amber-peach hue than the Spon Muscat before it, it also builds more head, up to a fuzzy foam before settling to a spit bubble ring.

Its airy froth promotes a funkier constitution, which then gives way to an herbal, vinous quality that's more apparent after having just had the much more subtle muscat variant. It's still quite dry and chewy, with that aged hop skunkiness in the background, but a sort of hint of strawberry-cherry comes out in the exhale here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raw, natural, rustic and all traditional, the Spon series of spontaneous ale of Jester King hits on all cylinders once again with the generous employment of Mourvedre and Sangiovese grapes for a darker hue, a robust fruit taste and a dry palate.

Hazy mauve and swirling with a dainty frothy necklace, the wine-looking ale teases the nose with sour fruit, cider, wine, berry and the unmistakable must of weathered oak, saddle leather and cellar-like conditions. Scant sweetness brings to life the fruit additions with a thin cracker-like breadiness and a juiciness of hard candy.

Any richness from the dark grapes quickly dissolve, along with any malt contributions, in order to favor the natural sourness that lurks within. Dry French cider, crabapple, sour red grape, gooseberry, and the likeness of rice wine vinegar pangs away at the middle palate ahead of a peppery late palate fueled with peppercorn, peat, wood spice and an overall vinous quality.

Light bodied and bone dry, the fully fermented ale sits on the tongue like traditional, unblended lambic. Musty, earthy and striking the chord of dry leather, a quick finish of hay, lemongrass and damp burlap trends into a short aftertaste laden with sourdough and cellar funk once more.

 

 

Clear apricot/pink colored pour with a white head that fades quickly. Aroma of wine grapes and barnyard must. Taste is dry, musty and tart with the grape and tannic flavors standing out.

 

A perfect gueuze in all aspects. The look and feel is reminiscent of a French sparkling rosé. The carbonation is nose-prickling perfection. A sliver of tannin is present and a reasonable amount of fruit shines through. I wouldn't be able to distinguish the grape varietals, but that's ok. Very sad I couldn't drink more; a beer I will remember for a long time.