Grand Cru White (2016)
Almanac Beer Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hazy yellow with minimal carbonation settling to a thin white ring.

Smell has an almond liqueur and warming buttery crust start, accented by acidic lemon, while taste amps that up with a super lemony acidity while dusty almond and oak are in the background, with a slick round feel, thin body and almost no carbonation.

750ml bottle into tulip. Bottled Fall 2016, consumed fall 2017.

A: Pours a light lemon/deep golden with a slight powdery haze beneath a thin and fleeting bubbly white head. A few streaks of wispy lace were left down the glass.
S: Musty oak-filled nose mixed with juicy and tart apricot scents, vinous white wine, and earthy spice. Perfumey apricot nearly dominates the grape. Musty and woody overall.
T: More grape than the nose let on, with semisweet and delicate white grape flavors and dry, vinous white wine notes. The apricot is right there too, with both tannic stone fruit flavors and sweet jammy preserves. There is earthy, musty, woody character throughout, with a touch of hay/straw funk. I get slightly bitter grapefruit/citrus pith in the finish, and the aftertaste has a hint of lemon, stone fruit, and tannic fruit skins.
M: Medium-full body, slick mouthfeel with a drying finish, soft carb, and a firm tartness. Acidity is bright but not overly harsh. This drinks like a beer with half of the alcohol as there isn’t a trace of warmth or booze.
O: Delicious and easy to sip with a great fruit flavor, dry musty funk, and pleasurable mouthfeel. The apricot and oak stand out the most, with the grape taking a backseat at this point. Delicious, but not necessarily worth the price of admission.

Tap @ Brewdog Bristol - Pours cloudy golden with a small thin white head which quickly disappears. Aroma - Vinous, white wine notes, slight acetic at the back. Taste - Light sweetness at the front, vinous- white wine feel, slight herbal feel, oaky notes, crisp tart finish. Lovely wild ale that would be ideal to convince wine drinkers of the beauty of ale.

 

 

 

Absolutely heavenly.

Bottle:
Pours a mostly clear white gold with a light haze. Head is okay initially, but does fade to a thinnish collar. Some nice, streaky lacing initially, but not much overall.

The nose is wonderful... a lightly acidic sour note with a bunch of oak and wine influence. I will clarify that "bunch" qualifier in that it's not smash you over the head, but very noticeable in the melange of notes I acquired. I'd argue there is a nice, deep, oaky white wine - grape, apricot, the lightest fruit vinegar, and a slightly herbal note (basil as a guess, maybe even w whiff of mint).

Flavor leans a little more vinegary - but with a certain level of residual sugar that keeps it from being too crazy. The wine notes (barrel included) are hidden by this general note. For a sour, that is okay, but is a slight disappointment from the nose. Wine grape does get added, the apricots might add to the tart, but are an afterthought in some senses.

I enjoyed the beer, and if the taste hit the nose's high standards, this would be a bit higher. Still a worthy beer. I would grab another if the price isn't outrageous in a heartbeat.

 

 

4oz pour at Brookland Pint during CBC 2017.