Arboreal
Oxbow Brewing Company

ArborealArboreal
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From:
Oxbow Brewing Company
 
Maine, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
Ranked #398
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
92
Ranked #5,579
Avg:
4.14 | pDev: 8.7%
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
79
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 17, 2023
Added:
Jan 11, 2013
Wants:
  20
Gots:
  12
Arboreal is an American Sour Ale fermented in wooden bourbon barrels with Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus. Produced without the use of stainless steel fermenters or brewers yeast, this uniquely traditional beer pays homage to our rural farmhouse habitat and the trees surrounding us.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by benbazi:
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Rated by benbazi from California

5/5  rDev +20.8%

Aug 04, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.42 by Gagnonsux from Texas

Aug 17, 2023
 
Rated: 3.96 by heerboth from Pennsylvania

Feb 20, 2023
 
Rated: 3.88 by Sammy from Canada (ON)

Mar 27, 2022
Photo of Roguer
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut

4.55/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
An absolutely fantastic sour, reminiscent of some of the best Flanders Reds and Oud Bruins. Musty and funky, sharp and sour. Tons of oak wraps around funky notes of earth and cheese, along with a vinegar-like sourness along with a dash of citrus.

Quite puckering; not a sour for novices, but very rewarding for sour aficionados.
Feb 10, 2022
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Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours a clear dark amber color with a one finger head that fades; squiggles of lace

Smell: Caramel, vanilla, Bourbon and apple confronts a tart, acetic and funky aspect

Taste: The caramel and vanilla flavors are first to arrive and underpin throughout; it doesn't take long for the acetic, tart, cider vinegar elements to assert themselve; the Bourbon emerges, mid-palate, to round out the edges; a blend across the multiple elements in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation; somewhat puckery

Overall: A lot of complexity here with many aspects in the flavor profile; among the better beers I have tried from Oxbow
Oct 05, 2021
 
Rated: 4.56 by blisscent from Rhode Island

Jun 13, 2021
 
Rated: 4.15 by AD17 from New Jersey

Dec 12, 2020
Photo of ChipChaight
Reviewed by ChipChaight from New York

4.12/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
April 2018 bottle from the brewery in Portland during 2020 trip to Maine. Pours dark amber with a finger of yellowish head and nice lacing, smell is bourbon fruit punch, plum skins, cherry flesh, fruit by the foot, prunes, hints of strawberry and lemon, taste follows the nose with warm bourbon with strong oak character throughout, bitter sour cherry, plum skin, hints of fresh leather and lemon flesh, taste is light, well carbonated, and dry. A distinguished, complex, and bourbon forward treat. Yum!
Aug 14, 2020
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Reviewed by StoutElk_92 from Massachusetts

4.57/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Jan, 2016 vintage

Pours hazy amber red with a creamy frothy off-white foam head. Smells like acetic red wine, oak barrel funk, bourbon, caramel malts, cherry, red fruits, dark fruit, apricot, with earthy herbal floral piney grassy hops. Tastes like acetic leathery red wine, oak barrel funk, bourbon, apricot, tart cherry, red fruits, dark fruit, caramel malts, some spice, with floral earthy herbal piney grassy hops. Feels medium bodied, creamy with moderate smooth carbonation. Overall a nice bourbon barrel fermented sour ale.
May 13, 2020
 
Rated: 4.15 by yancot from Canada (ON)

Apr 01, 2020
 
Rated: 4.17 by JakerLou from New Hampshire

Oct 13, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by Simon212 from Canada (ON)

Mar 18, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by StormAles from Canada (ON)

Mar 11, 2019
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Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.3/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
When extreme is the norm, everyone is out to be memorable. The craft beer scene is a stark reminder of our curiosity with polarizing flavors whether it's sweet, sour, bitter, roasty or spicy. Oxbow brewing hopes to become not just memorable but downright addictive with the combination of sour and spice.

Pouring a rusty, ruddy brown, Arboreal gets real with a nose piercing twinge of acidity that rocks the olfactory senses with the very first pass of its scent. Stone and sour fruit come with a piquant whisky scent and remnants of vinegar, cider and red wine. Scant sweetness flies over the tongue with the steely caramels remiss of peanut skins, oak drawn char and a modest sourdough character.

And then the sourness simply batters the middle palate with an acetone rich taste of sour red grape, red wine vinegar, cherry, plum and cranberry- all of the booze soaked, macerated variety. Sourness soon turns to spice as the bourbon nuances of steely caramels, toasted oak, nuttiness and a serious punch of nail polish remover-type spice. An aura of saddle leather, weathered attic woods and wine aged cork swirl above the palate in retro-olfactory fashion.

Medium light in body, the sour ale trends drier and lighter during the session as its acidity creates an intense enamel ripping sense of drinkability and refreshment. Nearly sweat inducing and jaw tightening, the ale has a medium short aftertaste laced with faint balsamic and tannic bordeaux wines.
Feb 16, 2019
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

3.74/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle: Poured a brown color ale with a medium size off-white foamy head with light retention and no lacing. Aroma of light caramelized malt with some intense Brett notes with some bourbon and oak notes also perceptible. Taste is also a mix of fruit Brett notes with some light caramelized malt notes, no residual sugar notes with some pretty intense woody and bourbon notes. Body is about average with good carbonation. Enjoyable but Brett was maybe too strong and overtaking the bourbon flavours.
Dec 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by PprBurke from Virginia

Nov 20, 2018
 
Rated: 4.14 by UCLABrewN84 from California

Apr 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by paulish from New York

Mar 10, 2018
 
Rated: 4.45 by NHbeerfishing from New Hampshire

Mar 04, 2018
Arboreal from Oxbow Brewing Company
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 79 ratings