Staveyard Framboise
Off Color Brewing

Bought at Off Color's Mousetrap as a remainder 4-pack, I'm lucky to have found this... and wonder why it has been retired. I'd have this Framboise again. (And repeats rarely happen in this style in which I rate 2/3 under the average.)

A relatively clear ruby until the yeast at the bottom of the bottle gets poured. No lace and too little foam lasts. Smells are an enrapturing raspberry. Tastes are balanced, just enough funk to counter the berry and sweet malt. Lighter in the mouth than the masters of the Oud Bruin across the pond, but still pleasant.

I was going to have this as aperitif, but quickly saved enough to accompany dinner when I tasted how balanced it was. Its balance worked well my world-famous soup, pesto with angel hair and even salad... albeit with varying degrees. Nevertheless, this Staveyard is a New World, and certainly Midwest, accomplishment.

I'm a very Big Fan of Off Color. With Staveyard Framboise, Off Color (a third generation crafter) becomes my most rated brewer @ 61 (surpassing New Glarus, my favorite second generation crafter.) Each generation offers its leaders and mysterious holds on our buds. Off Color certainly is the third generation leader in my mind; particularly since I live in the Midwest. (While we live under a state distribution regime that restricts other great 3rd generation brewers, I'm glad to give Off Color my award.) The mystery to me is how Off Color brews so well for the table and still does not offer food.

4/1921 Had again. While Off Color's Staveyard does not reach the excellence of masters like Rodenbach, this Staveyard is still pretty amazing; produced from a brewer's whose foeders are only a few years old. Edited and revised, I'm keeping count over at UnTappd. As for this Staveyard, I hope Off Color brings it back.

 

Murky reddish brown, finely textured foam and spotty lacing.
Aroma has a light raspberry note, toasted bread crusts, and faint barrel.
Mildly tart, more of a natural raspberry tartness. Lightly malty, light bitterness. Hints at chocolate, but not roasty, a pleasant blend of raspberry and Oud Bruin. Can’t help but associate a raspberry tootsie roll impression, but it’s all natural, not sweet or artificial in any way. Medium bodied, ample carbonation, a little muddy. Not bad at all, would like a little more barrel character, but it’s a pleasant beer. Thanks to Chris for this one!

Flanders Oud Bruin #92

epic little bottle of beer here, awesome art as always from these guys, and worth the pretty penny they fetch for it. an oud bruin as its base, which i like with raspberries in particular as opposed to pale lambic, but this doesnt taste like lambic at all, and certainly isnt sour for the style here, which i tend to associate with red wine vinegar bacterial intensity, but that really isnt the case here. most of the bottle pours a deep ruby tinted light brown, but the bottom inch or two has some sediment, a little duller looking, both smell and taste fantastic. i immediately consider this somewhat understated to my senses, lots of fresh berries to me, but like the base beer is a little young or something, perhaps underdeveloped on the yeast side, if i am being especially critical of something that is very special overall. just light tartness to it, none of the sharpness i tend to associate with the style, and with the fruit rising above the darker malts. slight oxidation, dry cocoa, and toasted hazelnut to the grain, but its light in flavor and feel compared to other oud buins out there, and the whole thing seems in service of the berries, which are natural and bright in this. as it sits its gets woodier, slightly tannic, but never bretty or funky or wild, which i think is missing just a little for me, like the fermentation profile is nuanced but not outwardly complex or unique to me, which off color beers usually often are. pretty good carbonation here, just medium bodied, and with 7.5% abv listed on the bottle. i am pleased to have these guys available in the idaho market, and its a treat to get to drink something like this. unexpected and perhaps a tad underwhelming just because its from a brewery i hold in the very highest regard, but delicious and a treat to share with my wife over dinner last night!