Primrose Hybrid Ale
Tahoe Mountain Brewing Co.

definitely one of my favorite wine grape beers of all time. i was really impressed with this, and am so glad these guys are in colorado now, what a treat! this is as good as anything the italians are doing with grapes, which is really saying something. for all the recent ups and downs with tahoe mountain stuff, this is a real high note. deep crayon purple in the glass, maybe a little pinker than that, but very saturated and pretty, with a contrasting almost pure white head, fizzy but lingering too. aroma of tart grape skins right away, less jammy sweet flesh, more tangy minerals and the wine aspects, tannins and wood. its pretty malbec specific in the flavor which i think is awesome, the distinct flavor of the grape and indeed the wine it makes come through really authentically. the wild yeast is just about right, more farmy and funky than it is sour, but both bretty and fully bacterial elements are at work. its super clean in the finish though, drier and effervescent in feel, lighter in body but still well structured, and flavorful as can be without being too much. the oak is a nice mellowing touch, and the citrus notes from the acid in here is highly unifying with the fruit and the grain and the fermenting agents. about as well done as such a thing could be, the perfect balance between the two yeast elements, and a wonderful use of this grape. A+ from me, this is as good as it gets.