Sixfold VI: Wild Sour with Plums
West Sixth Brewing Company

There's just something about the six. As the brewing team at West Sixth rolls though their "Sixfold" series of sour ale, each and every time they return to the sixth version of the series, they strike gold. Or in this case, they strike plum. Laden with copious amounts of plum and the sour ale reaches a fruit forward precipice.

Pale mauve and caught in a peachy gold haze, the zesty beer soon settles with a scant trail of foam. The scent of blush wine washes over the nose along with the faint funk of weathered woods, cork and must. Plum aromas are soft and sweet granting a light berry fragrance with the first sip looming. Juicy and sweet to the early palate, a light candied taste of taffy and whole wheat give a rounded yet gentle maltiness to the initial taste.

As the middle palate unfolds, the beer's sweetness releases and the sourness rolls in. Crabapple, red grape, red apple, gooseberry and cranberry all make a tangy, tart and highly acidic mark on the tastebuds. Peppery, oaken and graced with the must of grappa, the beer's spiciness bridges into a sharp and solventy alcohol burst. Lemon, lime and a pep of grapefruit arrive on the backside of taste while the soft aura of plum engulfs the session and soothes the acidity with a creamy and confectionary elegance.

Medium bodied yet trending lighter on the finish, a kiss of sourdough returns after the sourness recedes and the plum character remains. A short aftertaste gives the beer a crisp, clean and refreshing impression despite its tendency to give a nail polish remover type of spice in finish.