The Oxiversary
de Garde Brewing

750ml bottle, cap over cork. Label has bottling date of '1/23'.
Clear, deep gold colored body. Shimmering white colored head with the pour, and this retreats at a moderate pace to an island and a full ring. Leaves behind various sizes of lacing splotches.
Aroma is tart, vinous, and with leather funk.
Taste is tart but also a touch of fruit sweetness. Flavors of white wine, oak, lemon, grapefruit, and funk (leather and hay). There is a definite sherry flavor from the barrel aging. Quick exit of the aftertaste.
Medium mouthfeel. Mineral touch with a bit of stickiness. Very dry finish. Very good carbonation.
The sherry oak barrel adds a special touch to the complexity of a vinous and funky ale with citrus fruit layering. Drink it slowly to experience the depth of flavors. Beautiful presentation in the glass (clear golden body color with the contrasting white head and remnants).

 

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass.

Pale bronze, and apple cider like colored. Exceptional bright and gem like clarity with lots of carbonation all over the place. Frothy and real rocky forming head. Bleach white top and standing tall, leggy, and with big cling.

Excellent funky notes on the aroma. Real nice touches of funk lending to crisp apples and melon. Light touches of white wine grape but with minimal oaky or barrel character. Still very impressive.

Palate is a real wild animal. Sharp fruity notes of more lemon, but a real big gaseous hit mixing with woody oak but also hitting with sharp bitterness and steely presence. Real nice mineral and zesty oily action that is tart more so than sour. Flirts with hop like bitterness which reall accentuates some of the citrus character very uniquely.

Interesting take, and very different from the classic Euro wild makers, but very distinct and memorable.

 

Bottle from the source.

A clear golden orange with a dense white head. The nose is pure Tillafunk. Cheesy, musty, earthy, mildly nutty sherry, honey, preserved lemon, lime leaf, just brilliant. Sherry character is mild, with the focus being the funk. The palate opens bright and tart with a bright citrusy acidity, a blend of grapefruit juice and preserved lemon. Mildly nutty sherry is present, soft and fruity. Acidity is moderate, but it's the refreshing citrusy kind rather than the fatiguing kind. Mild floral notes linger in the finish. Moderate carbonation, lovely texture.

 

Slightly turbid but mostly clear orange-amber with an off-white head of moderate height that retains well and fuzzy while leaving fluidly sporadic lacing all over the glass.

An excellent exhibition of oaky funk with dusty walnut, toasty sesame seed, and pungent grapefruit is all delivered through a balanced acidity.

This comes very close to vintage Drie Fonteinen.