Mariposa Sour
Almanac Beer Co.
- From:
- Almanac Beer Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Wild Ale
- ABV:
- 6.8%
- Score:
- 89
- Avg:
- 3.99 | pDev: 5.26%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 12
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Jul 19, 2020
- Added:
- Jan 01, 2017
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 5
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
Mariposa, the Spanish word for “butterfly,” was the term used by California’s early settlers to name sites visited by seasonal flocks of Monarch butterflies. It’s also the name of one of our favorite stone fruits, the Mariposa plum. Our juicy high-summer plums were grown and picked by Blossom Bluff Orchards and added to oak foeders filled with mixed culture Brettanomyces farmhouse ale to age.
Prior to packaging, we finished the beer with a huge dry hop of El Dorado and Azacca. Like a caterpillar going into its cocoon, these ingredients enter the barrel as one thing and emerge as something entirely new. Pair this transformative sour ale with Spanish paella, Izakaya grilled chicken skewers, or plum coffee cake for dessert.
Prior to packaging, we finished the beer with a huge dry hop of El Dorado and Azacca. Like a caterpillar going into its cocoon, these ingredients enter the barrel as one thing and emerge as something entirely new. Pair this transformative sour ale with Spanish paella, Izakaya grilled chicken skewers, or plum coffee cake for dessert.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Rimbimhoot from Illinois
3.79/5 rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Not up to par with most other Almanac wild ales. Maybe past its prime
S: Green apple, pear, funk, white wine, honey, plum, melon, tea, old hop charatcer, pineapple at end
T: Plum, musty, vinous, earthy Brett funk, old hops, tannic
Maybe more in line with the Brettaville series
Feb 13, 2019S: Green apple, pear, funk, white wine, honey, plum, melon, tea, old hop charatcer, pineapple at end
T: Plum, musty, vinous, earthy Brett funk, old hops, tannic
Maybe more in line with the Brettaville series
Reviewed by Stevedore from Oregon
3.99/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On draft. Served in a goblet glass. Pours an unfiltered/hazy golden orange body, one finger white head, good retention. No lacing. Smell and flavour is stonefruit, citrus, moderate lactic acidity and that house yeast flavour which dominates a fair bit. Aside from the hoppy presence, its hard to think that this could be anything other than an Almanac brewed beer. Mouthfeel is lighter medium bodied, dry, refreshing and moderately lactic.
Mar 31, 2018
Rated by markjknowles from Oregon
3.92/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Cloudy, sour with fairly mild fruitiness. Dryish finish. Nice carbonation. Competent rendition of an excellent style. Above average but not great.
Mar 24, 2018
Reviewed by Frudel from Canada (QC)
3.99/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Orange colored body, a small white head covering on top disappearing quite fast.
Plums and tropical fruits flavors, looks like there is a nice dry hop in there!
Taste is a fruity sourness, mixed with peaches, apricots, plums.
Nice enjoyable beer nonetheless but not my favorite of the Farm to Barrel series
Feb 19, 2018Plums and tropical fruits flavors, looks like there is a nice dry hop in there!
Taste is a fruity sourness, mixed with peaches, apricots, plums.
Nice enjoyable beer nonetheless but not my favorite of the Farm to Barrel series
Reviewed by JackRWatkins from Georgia
3.52/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A: Pours a muddy peach (or ya know, plum flesh) color with a half finger head.
S: Juicy and funk, with notes of plum but also of stone fruit. There is a milkiness here that suggests real fruit as opposed to concentrate.
T: Definitely more sour than tart. Leads off with a sweet-tart vibe, immediate plum followed some funk and a nice hop bite. All of this is followed up by a tannic astringency that is quite pleasant and a tad bracing. It feels like a full bouquet of fruit is on display here.
M: Full bodied for a sour beer, slightly sticky mouth feel.
O: This is a very enjoyable beer. I'm not personally much of a fruit beer fan, and I don't think this is going to change your mind if you hate that vibe, but it is well executed nonetheless. My only real gripes here are that the nose is wonderful but not loud enough, and to me a sour should be dry, and less than heavy in the body, but that's just my opinion.
Feb 15, 2018S: Juicy and funk, with notes of plum but also of stone fruit. There is a milkiness here that suggests real fruit as opposed to concentrate.
T: Definitely more sour than tart. Leads off with a sweet-tart vibe, immediate plum followed some funk and a nice hop bite. All of this is followed up by a tannic astringency that is quite pleasant and a tad bracing. It feels like a full bouquet of fruit is on display here.
M: Full bodied for a sour beer, slightly sticky mouth feel.
O: This is a very enjoyable beer. I'm not personally much of a fruit beer fan, and I don't think this is going to change your mind if you hate that vibe, but it is well executed nonetheless. My only real gripes here are that the nose is wonderful but not loud enough, and to me a sour should be dry, and less than heavy in the body, but that's just my opinion.
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!