Spon III
Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project

 

 

three year blend, the second release of this i have had from them, a little fuller and grainier to me than the first one, but really mature, and this is good enough to drink like lambic from belgium, an impressive specimen done the traditional way. i like how much of the grain character comes through in this, slightly hazy, more body than the first one had, perhaps a shade deeper in color towards orange as well, nice and lively from the tap and holding its short white head. the nose on this is earthy as they come at its core, straw, raw wheat, the isovaleric aged hop weirdness which i love in this sort of thing, minerals, bread crusts, old wet wood, and of course the funky fermentation profile which is fully wild, mature, and with layers of barn animal, burlap, damp cardboard, and even iodine. the flavor is equally fermentation forward, bretty and well developed with some flattering oxidation, subtle white grape and melon notes in the mix, dried citrus peel, and a fairly middle of the road acidity, this is not too sour to drink a good amount of, not at all. frothy feeling from the wheat, some rawness to it but then also a cooked and toasted grain vibe too, the aged hops and the oak are both bold in here, and overall this is what wild ale is all about, exactly what i was hoping for with it, a great blend and worth all the effort i know it takes to produce. crooked stave has been branching out into new style territory of late, but this is still what they do best. so good.