Backlash Beer Company Wild King
Night Shift Brewing

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From:
Night Shift Brewing
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
6.8%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.97 | pDev: 11.08%
Reviews:
6
Ratings:
19
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 10, 2017
Added:
Aug 01, 2013
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  3
Part of a brewery-only "Oncemade" box set from Night Shift which contains both Wild King and Wild Queen. Wild King is a collaboration with Backlash but was brewed at Night Shift. This is release #1 in the "Oncemade" series from Night Shift, released Autumn 2012.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by oldp0rt:
Photo of oldp0rt
Rated by oldp0rt from Canada (QC)

5/5  rDev +25.9%

Aug 11, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.21 by festizio from California

Apr 10, 2017
 
Rated: 3.73 by bostonbeans from Massachusetts

Oct 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4.71 by ScottP from New Hampshire

Jun 20, 2015
Photo of Davepoolesque
Reviewed by Davepoolesque from Massachusetts

4.12/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Golden orange in color. Clear in appearance. Lots of raspberry, pineapple and brett funkiness. Touch of vanilla from the oak. Its delicious. Clean finish.
Apr 21, 2015
 
Rated: 4.35 by mattboyer182 from Indiana

Mar 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by BColton1 from Rhode Island

Mar 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by DerekMorgan from Massachusetts

Aug 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Boston_Steve from Massachusetts

Aug 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by somenerd from Massachusetts

Jun 12, 2014
Photo of 4DAloveofSTOUT
Reviewed by 4DAloveofSTOUT from Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
thanks to 2 great beeradvocates! TATURBO and ICCULUS for a taste of this beer!

750 C&C format bottle. Autumn 2012- release #1.

Thunderous pop as the cork left the bottle neck; poured into SP wine stem.

Tasted side by side with Wild Queen!

Appearance: translucent orange bodied beer with a thick white cap that quickly drops down to a thin ring around the glass.

Smell: moderate acetic sourness. Citrus surprisingly enough! Specifically orange flesh. Smells bright and crisp. Light red wine tannins. Not a hint of the brandy barrel until the beer warms up to room temperature, then you can smell the rich brandy.

Taste: moderate sourness up front. Minimal fruit influence in this beer, it more about the wine and brandy barrels. Hints of rasberry, pineapple, and orange flesh. The finish almost completely wipes out the moderate sourness with rich and slightly sweet brandy and red wine tannins with a hint of vanilla that eventually surfaces when the beer reaches room temperature.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with low end of moderate carbonation. The beer feels a little heavier than most sours, but its still remains crisp, clean, and has a dry finish.

Overall: The verdict is... The Wild King isnt wild enough to rule over the Wild Queen. Long live the Queen! Wild King is a really interesting and unique beer, none the less. I enjoy how this beer tastes. Its like nothing that I have ever tried with a wild ale. A double barrel wild ale???? Yes please! This beer showcases the brandy and wine barrels very nicely, but I could have more raspberry and pineapple in the flavor profile with little more assertive sourness. I can definately say that I have never tasted a beer like this before!
Apr 30, 2014
Photo of Goblinmunkey7
Reviewed by Goblinmunkey7 from Massachusetts

3.14/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Appearance: Starts a perfectly clear gold. Sediment dislodges and gives it a nice haze. Head has minimal retention but starts off bright-white and loose. Drops to a faint hint of a cap with a small bubbly collar. Big pop of the cork leads to a lively overall carbonation.

Smell: Brett, a touch of strawberry, some tart cherry skin, and then some raspberry. Some light yeast influence. Pale malts with some mild bready elements. Deeply fruity with some juicy fresh raspberry. A touch of wood and oak. Some mild sweetness. A hint of soft spice like clove. Some pear and a load of pineapple. Tropical. A bit of a tart edge, mostly lactic. A nice blend of juicy fruit and Brett.

Taste: Some raspberry flesh and tart tannic skin. A touch of cherry. Loaded with pineapple juice and vague tropical flavors. Malts run lightly bready with a very slight toasted grain. Some slight hints of vanilla with a solid push of oak. Brett is assertive, powdery, and funky. Mildly earthy. Pineapple flesh abounds as it warms. A bit tart with some herbal almost minty flavors on the back.

Mouthfeel: Mediumish body with a moderate carbonation. A bit juicy and wet with a on almost clean finish.

Overall: Ohhh, who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

Raspberry laced pineapple juice spiked with Brett. Yup.
Feb 18, 2014
Photo of angrybabboon
Reviewed by angrybabboon from Massachusetts

4.06/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Cheers to Goblinmunkey7 for sharing this mysterious beer, discovered in an odd wooden box

Appearance: Hazy golden orange - cork more or less exploded through my ceiling when the bottle was opened, but the carbonation is far from extreme - average size, foamy head that fades to a solid cap, leaves some nice lacing

Smell: Nicely funky and sour, with some berries and tropical fruits - some big Brett funk, with some powdery yeast, some hay, barnyard, and musty, wet basement - some general weirdness, tartness and funk - some wine barrel - oak and vanilla - raspberries and pineapple - some yeasty spiciness, but the fruit really shines

Taste: Funky, fruity, and definitely memorable - nice yeasty and barrel-y funk - spicy esters, with some light pepper and clove - funky notes, with some big, bold Brett notes - some barnyard as well as some damp, dirty basement - some nice fruit notes, with a lot of raspberry flesh - some tropical notes, like pineapple flesh - some pale malts and some caramel - some nice wine barrel flavor, finishes with some wood and some funk

Mouthfeel: Medium body, nicely carbonated, smooth, mostly tart, dry finish

Overall: Hey I heard you were a wild king (ooo-ooh)

This beer is definitely, decidedly interesting. It's kind of like a cross between a raspberry Berliner weiss and a saison. And it works. There are some great berry notes, tropical notes, and Brett funk.
Feb 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by bleeps from Massachusetts

Nov 11, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by Luk13 from Canada (QC)

Sep 08, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by ComRock12 from Massachusetts

Aug 22, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by pwoody11 from Delaware

Aug 20, 2013
Photo of jeonseh
Reviewed by jeonseh from Indiana

3.49/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
S - Strawberry with a lemon tartness and slight oak. Overall, a sweet nose

T - Sweet strawberry up front. The beer had much more funk that you would have expected in the nose which gives it a nice funky, musty blue cheese presence. The finish is clean with tart and lemon

M - Lightly carbonated and a soft mouthfeel overall. The finish was clean and slightly dry.

O - Solid beer that seemed to be a cross of a strawberry sour with a funky Saison
Aug 16, 2013
Photo of Dope
Reviewed by Dope from Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Release #1, 6.8% ABV.

A: Pours a clear light red. Reminds me of the color of an apple. Bottle gushes everywhere when opened. Thin, very light and fizzy white head that fizzes quickly yet has oddly good retention. Minimal light and spotty lacing.

S: Bright and strong sour fruits. Pineapple is notable, interesting. Some berries too? Hints of leather. Big and tart.

T: Big tart and acidic fruits. Pineapple again with a little raspberry. Definitely a unique flavor. Not mouthpuckeringly sour, just tart initially but it smooths out fast. A bit of acidic vinegar up front too but again, it levels out pretty quickly. Finish is lightly tart, borderline semi-sweet pineapple and raspberry again. Some oak perhaps? Not sure if this is barrel aged but I get some drying oaky vanilla in the aftertaste so I assume it must be.

M: Medium bodied, tart and drying in the finish.

O: I am admittedly a sour newbie and I am letting Night Shift acclimate me. They have some mildly sour stuff like their Weisses (some of which are excellent). This one is another step up but not overpowering. Nice transition of tart, acidic flavors up front into a smoother, fruit-filled finish. I enjoyed it quite a bit, especially considering my lack of experience with sours.
Aug 01, 2013
Backlash Beer Company Wild King from Night Shift Brewing
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 19 ratings