Hurdy Gurdy
Tired Hands Brewing Company

Poured from a growler into a Duvel tulip glass

L: Mostly clear copper red pour. Thin white head. Modest lacing.

S: Apple cider vinegar and citrus... tart with a bit of funk.

T/F: Very complex flavor... some malt sweetness... dark fruit and sour cherry. Mild apple cider vinegar... oak and barrel character. Medium body... tart without being sour.

O: A pretty awesome Oud Bruin. Really loved this beer... would have again any time.

 

not my favorite of the tired hands stuff, this seemed to me a little less complex than some of their better beers, and its tough to associate something this different with a classic style name like oud bruin, where the expectations are pretty specific. this is not as sour as a lot of them, less of the vinegar acidity, and the malt base seems less deep and dark than i am used to in the style. more of a sweet crystal, a caramelized grain sugar fermented down to near dry with what seems like a partly wild yeast. i dont get the toasted, roasted, or chocolate malt end of the spectrum at all. i suppose the lighter grain complexion creates space for yeast nuance that isnt sour in the middle, light funky, winey, and tangy. tart cherry juice, raisin, fig jam, that type of flavor abounds in the center as well. very light in body, with a slightly sharp and thin feeling in the finish. the flavors here are good, definitely strange, and not as dynamic as i am used to in the style. almost more of a dark saison. no appreciable wood on this either, which is something we usually look for in the classic takes on the style. not bacterial enough either, at least compared to the more traditional ones. good not great one this one, but a versatile food beer and quite well made as they go...