Relic
Strange Roots Experimental Ales

2/24/24 On tap at the Millvale PA brewery.

Sour sweet cedar on the nose.
Very similar to the Red Flanders "Ruby du Rhone" they have on tap sans wine undertones. Slightly sweet buttered popcorn.

 

Almost like a pale ale became a wild ale, because the malts taste pale, but the sour oak, bright orchard fruit, especially apple and pear, some citrus zest, funk, brett, and hay all speak to the wild ale it is. Nothing too intense, as you finish the glass it gets a little bland but solid. Smell leads more toward the fruit, but funk is more underlying, plenty of oak and brett too. Has cracker like breadiness in the middle of it all. Feel has brett textures, sour oak and sneaky breadiness

 

lots to like about this mature and unique old world style brew. its a little bit full of sediment in the glass, at least towards the bottom of the bottle, pale and hazy and somewhat thick looking for what it is, despite its bright yellow hue, but under a high rising white head that gives it some life and visual contrast, and with a really cool aroma from the unique yeast strain used to ferment it. apparently it was harvested from some old french furniture, pretty one of a kind! its funky, saison-esque, bretty, but nuanced in a cool way, peppery, vinous, fruity like pears, orange peel, and lychee, and has some interested gummy esters to it, although this is a far cry from high tone belgian on the yeast side, more rustic and farmy, subtle in cool ways. i like the use of a heritage sort of grain profile too, red wheat from what i understand, full of protein and heft in the feel, and with a cool earthiness and harvest vibe in the flavor. its simple in makeup, but complex in flavor, i love beer like this, and while its a little dusty, tired, even cheesy in the nose, its refined and interesting in execution and as much a learning experience as anything else. id love to know more about this yeast, try other beers with it, and really see how much of the flavor here is contributed by it. a fun beer to be sure, i dont know why these guys had to rebrand, its beers like this that turn me on the most. conceptually fascinating and nicely put together. even with some age on it its still quite active and jovial feeling. not overly weird, just really cool.

 

Poured into a tulip at the brewery
A: Hazy yellow with a thin head
S: Lemon, sour, yeast, funk. Tough to put my finger on specific notes
T: Matches the nose. Tasty, funky, some lemon but otherwise tough to pinpoint
M: Light-bodied, sour
O: Unique and tasty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had to bring this Pittsburgh beer home to Texas from a trip to California. Glad I did. Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Initially a clear light yellow, but upon swirling, poured a cloudy yellow. Good head and lacing. Clean sour fruit smell. Very interesting taste of earth, wood, grapefruit, and a bit of sour berries. The beer maintained a refreshing crispness and was not overly tart. Very nice!