Phantom Crew
Cape May Brewing Company

Thin tan head but continues to coat the surface for some time, excellent stickiness in the broad, splotchy lacing, impressive. Reddish brown liquid, full-on cloudiness and opacity, looks like puree, hard to see any bubbles. Vinous nose, bracing at first before slowly softened by caramel, custard notes, charcoal smoke and grainy, cherry to apricot fruit, pie crust, on the whole clean and without a good deal of funkiness. Medium-bodied, very foamy during the mouth entry, dry and slightly less vinous and sour than the nose would have it. Lactose, pie crust to yeast, some pleasing herbaceous snap. Close to minerally, the oak smooths this out even as it adds uneven caramel and butterscotch or sour elements. The fruit more biting cherry, raspberry to green apple, angular throughout. Thankfully ends with growing doughy, honeyed aspects so it goes out on a positive note.

 

 

 

 

Got in a BIF from MacMalt. 750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled in summer 2017. Pours slightly hazy reddish copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy cream colored head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of lightly tart cherry, cranberry, raspberry, strawberry, raisin, plum, lemon, orange, peach, pear, apricot, melon, red/green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, toasted oak, caramel, brown sugar, and bread; with light notes of leather, vanilla, musty funk, red wine vinegar, pepper, and yeast/oak earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, red wine barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt notes; with solid strength. Taste of big lightly tart cherry, cranberry, raspberry, strawberry, raisin, plum, lemon, orange, peach, pear, apricot, melon, red/green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, toasted oak, caramel, brown sugar, and bread; with light notes of leather, vanilla, musty funk, red wine vinegar, pepper, and yeast/oak earthiness. Very mild lactic tartness and yeast/wine/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of cherry, cranberry, raspberry, strawberry, raisin, plum, lemon, orange, peach, pear, apricot, melon, red/green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, toasted oak, caramel, brown sugar, bread, light leather/funk/vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, red wine barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; with a nice malt/tartness and wine/oak spiciness balance; with zero puckering/cloying flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering tartness and wine/oak spiciness. Medium carbonation and body; with a smooth, moderately creamy/bready, and fairly acidic/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Minimal warming alcohol for 7.8%. Overall this is a very nice Flanders red ale. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, red wine barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to sip on with the mellowly acidic/tannic/drying finish, never overly lactic. Well rounded Brett/Lacto complexity, balanced malts, and great wine barrel presence after 19 months of aging. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example.

 

New release. Poured from 22 oz. bottle into Cape May Brewing pint glass. It pours a pretty reddish-orange color with a half finger of foamy, ecru-colored head and lacing that did not dissipate. The nose is sour with a decided smell of red wine and a whiff of cherry and Belgian spice. This is a sour ale but it's a subtle one: you can taste the red wine and there is also a distinct oak flavor from the barrels. It finishes with a touch of sweetness from the cherry. As the glass warmed, I also detected the slightest hint of vanilla. The flavors are all delicate; nothing is overpowering. This ale is medium-bodied, fairly creamy, and less carbonated than I anticipated. The 7.9% ABV gives it substance but it's by no means overpowering or distracting. What impresses me about this ale is its delicacy - both in taste and feel. Cape May has proven adept at brewing complex, aged beers. This was not an easy beer to brew and they did a nice job with it.