Sixfold II: (Port Barrel Aged)
West Sixth Brewing Company

Like revisiting an old friend, the folks at West Sixth dusts off an old favorite, an American wild ale that's aged on cherries, but this time they lay it down for a nap in Angel's Envy port barrels for a succulent twist on the sour ale.

Port Barrel Aged Sixfold: II pours with a bleached rose color, slightly ruby, slightly pink but mostly golden and tawny. A shimmer of haze decorates the snifter while a scant swath of sea foam mounts on top. Cherries, apples and citrus adorn the nose while the peppery and rich scent of fortified wine and oak provide a slight heft to the aromas. Light sweetness comes over the initial palate with taffy, fructose and a light wheatiness.

The sweetness breaks apart effortlessly on the middle palate as the natural acidity of the ale easily contends with any lingering malt. Dry french cider, lime, lemon and gooseberry bring the natural sourness to the foreground of taste while a quick followup of ripe red cherries apply their own acidic touch. The port barrels add a slight robustness of dark grape, plum, blackberry and currant to the mix along with the powder fine tannin dryness of oak and cashew.

Medium light on the palate, the rich wine flavors are deep, complex and savory and have the ale seemingly slightly fuller than usual. But the playful nature of sourness strips the palate of thirst and offers a peppery refreshment and an elegant rose wine taste, albeit robust.