Sungasm (Hickory)
The Farmers' Cabinet

Draft at Farmers' Cabinet.

Pours a hazy golden orange color with a two finger frothy white head that slowly fades into a lasting ring.  Streaks of soapy lacing left behind.

Intensely funky with lots of musty brett,  lactic funk and subtle acetic acid along with dry oak and citrus fruit. Subtle vinegar and the barrel is a bit stronger in the nose than the other variations that I've had so far.  Strong oak/wood character complimenting the earthy funk.

Medium bodied with a tart, puckering mouthfeel that lingers over the dry wood, sweet citrus and acetic acid into a dry finish.  Intensely sour with lots of vinegar-y acetic acid that never becomes harsh or solvent like.  Very citrus forward with grapefruit and lemon juice followed by dry wood and more lactic funk.  Bone dry finish.

First had: on tap at Farmers' Cabinet, Philly, PA

The Sungasm line was part of Cabinet's 3x8 series brewed specially for Philly Beer Week 2012. Three breweries (Evil Twin, Cabinet, and Stillwater) each worked on one beer brewed or aged in 8 different ways. Cabinet's contribution, Sungasm, was a brett-fermented golden ale aged on 8 different types of wood.

The final result? Hmm. I had several of these, and while they were all very good, they all pretty much tasted the same. In my opinion, these beers were rushed, and didn't age long enough to acquire unique tastes from the wood. This is essentially why I took off "overall" points. Though overall, the Hickory version was probably the most unique.

Hickory Sungasm was served in a mini-stem glass, a cloudy amber color with a small, wispy white head. Like the other Sungasms, aroma dominated by lemon and grass. Nice sourness in the taste, lots of citrus, lemon, grapefruit, white wine, light biscuity malts, dry grassy finish, with a bit of charred wood. Light-medium body, tart and puckering, very nice overall.

Good beer? Yes. Unique from the others in the series? Barely.