Raspberry Funky Wit
Perennial Artisan Ales

 

375ml bottle - bottled 3/2018 - poured into a classic tulip at 45°F.

Pours a cloudy translucent garnet red hue, topped with two fingers of pinkish-white foamy head with fair retention, leaving no lacing at it settles to a collar. Tons of visible effervescence.

Nose: A jammy explosion of ripe raspberry greets the nose first. There is a very pronounced acidity with a nice balance of both lacto and acetic pedio sharpness. There's a very forward oak presence, which really adds depth to the aroma, and when you get a bit closer, there is this very unique spicy aroma. Not oak spice, but rather like baking spices, with hints of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. It's subtle, but it's definitely a very interesting nuance, and adds some darker, more savoury notes to the big, bright, fruity aroma. A good bit of funk, with some light citrus, grassy, and farmy notes as well.

Palate: The aroma is an excellent indication of what lies ahead. First off, the sourness is in no way overbearing, and does not try to strip the enamel off of your teeth. This is partly due to the fact that the raspberries are so incredibly pronounced, and actually lend a bit of jammy preserve sweetness. Raspberry jam, seeds and all, a hint of balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon, lime, virgin white oak, hay, gently toasted grain, some clean, fresh herbs, dried orange peel, and that spice component from the nose definitely translate to the palate. I can't put my finger on it though - perhaps allspice. The way it pairs with the other flavours also creates this secondary note of dried oregano - that sort of spice cabinet thing. When this note peaks, it emphasises a slightly fusel note, but it isn't distracting. Despite the presence of seriously jammy raspberry, the ale is still quite well attenuated, and flies off the palate in a very clean manner. The finish sees a steep reduction of tartness, revealing this beautiful delicate grainy base. The jammy berries disappear, leaving a dry, seedy raspberry essence behind. It,ultimately finishes bone dry, and that subtle grain base gently lingers, in the remarkably clean, delicate finish.

Mouthfeel/Body: The ale is quite light in body, and nothing about it sticks, grabs, or claws at the palate. The effervescence is lively, but very fine, lending an almost champagne-like feel to it. There's not nearly enough sweetness to lend any sugar weight, nor is there enough malt to lend heft. It's very dry, and cleans the palate as it does down, begging you to take the next sip. A little bit of buttery oak texture in the finish.

Overall: This is a little gem of a wild ale. A real treat. Unique by nature, being a wild witbier, it just keeps delivering with every sip. I love raspberries, but I've had a lot of disappointing raspberry sours, but this just delivers everything you could possibly want from seeing "raspberry" on the label. Absolute jam, yet stays incredibly dry, and the acidity is, dare I say...Perfect. It's certainly sour, but never blindingly so, and it plays off the fruit perfectly. There's plenty of oak, the grain is allowed to peak through, and there's some interesting complexity and nuance, with funk, spice, and all of the wonderful farm and barrel notes Definitely not a one note sour. A delightful offering, and one any raspberry sour fan needs to try at some point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L: light strawberry color with a film of head that fades fast
S: light raspberries and sourness.
T: much like the nose. Very approachable, soft and gently flavors.
F: light and refreshing, high carbonation.