Grapeyard Shift
Strange Roots Experimental Ales

500 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 11/30/2017. Pours slightly hazy medium orange/amber color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy light pink head with solid retention, that reduces to a thin spotty lace cap that lingers. Minimal lacing on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big sour/tart/tangy concord grapes, fruit skin, lemon, lime, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, red/green apple, melon, berries, red wine, oak, peppercorn, hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, cracker, lightly toasted biscuit, light leather/musty/lacto funk, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/fruity/acidic/spicy yeast, concord grapes, red wine barrel, and moderate pale/wheat malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big sour/tart/tangy concord grapes, fruit skin, lemon, lime, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, red/green apple, melon, berries, red wine, oak, peppercorn, hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, cracker, lightly toasted biscuit, light leather/musty/lacto funk, and yeast/oak earthiness. Moderate peppery yeast spiciness; light-moderate fruity/lactic tartness, and fruit tang on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/tangy concord grapes, fruit skin, lemon, lime, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, red/green apple, melon, berries, red wine, oak, peppercorn, hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, cracker, lightly toasted biscuit, light leather/musty/lacto funk, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/fruity/acidic/spicy yeast, concord grapes, red wine barrel, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; with a great malt/tart/spiciness and tangy fruit balance; with no puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Moderately crisp/clean finishing. Moderate increasing dryness from tart/spiciness, tangy fruit, and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, and sticky/acidic/tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Minimal warming alcohol for 6.8%. Overall this is an outstanding sour saison! All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/fruity/acidic/spicy yeast, concord grapes, red wine barrel, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink with the moderately spicy/tart/tangy/drying finish, not overly lactic. Awesomely well rounded Brett/Bacteria/Saison yeast complexity with balanced grapes; nice wine barrel presence, and pale/wheat malt backbone against acidity. A highly enjoyable offering, and spot on style example as expected.

 

 

500 ml

Pours berry pinkish red, pink-white head dissipates to nothing.

Smells of fresh grape and cranberry over a mild cracker malt.

Tastes of fresh red grape and berry over cracker malt, light tartness in the finish. A bit of a dry woody aftertaste.

Medium body, stinging carbonation on the roof of the mouth.

Fairly decent, interesting flavor. Drinks light. Unusual aftertaste. Wouldn't turn this down but it's not among the better wild ales from SR.