R2 Koelschip
Strange Roots Experimental Ales

Reviewed from notes. Poured from a 16.9 oz. bottle into an El Catador Barrel-Aged glass. Of note, the bottle is proudly emblazoned with the Draai Laag Brewing Company name, rather than the Strange Roots Experimental Ales moniker.

A: Hazy gold with a two-finger white fizzy head that fades relatively quickly. A good amount of visible carbonation present.

S: Lemony citric acid and funky. Almost like a mix of Pediococcus and Lactobacillus, but neither dry nor funky enough to be most (or all) of either, I don't think. Cracker malts and a little vinous. Maybe some oak here too? I'm not convinced. It smells rather tart and dry, but not overly of either. Interesting, and not bad at all.

T: A moderate lactic tartness, with citric acid and lemony citrus. Some modest barnyard and drying hay funk. Light cracker malts and vinous dryness. A mild pilsner character to the malts comes out as warms. It finishes dry, lemony, and tart.

M: A very fizzy mouthfeel – borderline obnoxious over-carbonation. A light body with fairly low alcohol presence.

O: Just not my favorite. The (over) carbonation might be the worst part, but the funk and acid levels just aren’t working for me so well. I’m all for coolship beers, but this one is gonna need some fine tuning. Perhaps fruiting would have helped smooth things over – like a raspberry or something. But as it is, it isn't sour enough to carry it, but also doesn’t have the funk to stand on its own like a gueuze.

 

I've Had 23 American Wilds. On one hand, this must be proof that I am open-minded for a grumpy old man. On the other hand, this may be evidence that I'm a slow learner because after 23, I should know by now that the unpredictability of the sourness of American Wilds are not for me.

All that said, R2 Koelschip, is not bad... primarily because its sour is mild, restrained and plays nice with appetizers and cheese. It Looks and Smells like its many American contemporaries piling into this surprisingly fast-expanding market, but R2 distinguishes self in the Taste and, particularly, the After-Taste by being moderate and sensible. (Something this country needs to find again. Are we up to that in 2018?)

At any rate (or editorial)... this was my first from Strange Roots and they are riding the trend of farm-to-table and other cool stuff. I consider myself lucky to have found in Chicago a bottle of this small Pittsburgh brewer.

 

 

Poured from 500mL bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: pale orange hue with a touch of haze and a massive effervescence. Head is a thick layer of fizzy foam that appears to be at a rolling boil due to the huge effervescence; I love it.

Smell: sweet, slightly tart, and slightly funky; there's also the unsurprising zip of carbon dioxide. Not crazily complex, but an interesting wild ale.

Taste: a bit more tartness than the aroma suggests, followed by a bit of orchardy fruit character and a bit of farmhouse funk. It's kind of a tripel-meets-bière de garde-meets-a splash of lemonade. I like it.

Mouthfeel: light body with a massive carbonation and huge, if ephemeral, creaminess. I dig it!

Overall: this beer really appeals to me. I like super fizzy Belgian-inspired beers, and this one really works for me. It's very, very drinkable.

 

Pours a golden yellow, slight chill haze with a fairly bright white head that goes quickly. Fair amount of carbonation. Nose is of light yogurt. Sour grapes be mild grass. Taste is of sour grape skin upfront but a tame sour. Was expecting more funk and sour with this one but it's just not there. Pretty tame. Creamy Greek yogurt and slight peppery kick to it. Body is medium to thin with a dry red wine like finish.