Minotaur
The Ale Apothecary

750ml bottle share courtesy to Rich. Clear, dark amber, small frothy head fades to bubbles. Fruity, tart aroma, sweetness, yeast. Taste brings a bit of pucker, not too much, more of the berry sweetness, some of the wooden barrels. All pretty smooth. Very well done.

750ml bottle - 1 of 580 - brewed 10.2016, bottled 5.31.18 - 9.02% ABV - poured into a wine stem at 40°F.

Pours a deep black coffee brown, with just a thin cap of tan head building, before immediately receding to a razor-thin collar. No red colour at all, and nearly impenetrable by the light. Hope this hasn't oxidised.

Nose: Interesting aroma here. Perhaps it's psychosomatic, but I smell some darker malts - akin to a Flanders red. Acidity presents itself in the form of balsamic vinegar, while the berry notes are fully there, and quite identifiable as blackberry with a fermented twist. Plenty of red wine barrel comes forth, especially as it opens, and if you did deep enough, a hint of earthy, co-fermented honey emerges with some waxy honeycomb. I can possibly imagine bourbon, but it's imagination at best. Definitely a slight whiff of alcohol, and a touch of oxidation in the form of oxidised tobacco leaf.

Palate: Woah! That takes you by surprise. First sip just bombards the palate with flavors. It greets you with a surprising berry, honey, and grain sweetness, while simultaneously lending a fair punch of acidity. The flavours are all so bold, it takes some effort to separate them. First and foremost, there's blackberry - sweet, jammy, and ripe, yet also seedy, tart, and tangy. The wine cask influence is front-and-centre, with punchy red wine and tannic oak. There actually is some bourbon here, and it's held together by the sweetness, disappearing into the acidity. Honey influence is sweet, but very tame in flavour. Some balsamic, blueberry, raspberry, caraway, and a defined brown sugar/molasses note play in and out, and the ale finishes with sour lacto and pedio acidity, dry, tart berry, wine cask, and pumpernickel bread. Dry finish.

Mouthfeel/Body: Given the ABV, the honey addition, and perhaps the concentration of fruit, Minotaur actually possesses a rather full body. It's slightly slick, with a touch of chew, and actually clings a bit to both the palate, as well as the lips with a sticky sweetness. Effervescence is fair. Acidity begins to get to the stomach quickly.

Overall: Definitely a bit of a curveball from what I expected. Part of me still thinks that this may have suffered a little from age. Would have loved to try this fresh. The acidity is a little punchy, and there are some signs of oxidation, but overall, it's still a nice berry wild with some unique elements to it. The honey is the saving grace here, providing a nice sweet touch. If you have a bottle of this, don't sit on it any longer. Drink it now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consumed at the Culmination Festival, August 20, 2016.