Unblended #40
Side Project Brewing
Beer Geek Stats
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- Style:
- Wild Ale
- ABV:
- 6%
- Score:
- 99
- Avg:
- 4.6 | pDev: 6.09%
- Reviews:
- 11
- Ratings:
- From:
- Side Project Brewing
- Missouri, United States
- Avail:
- Retired (no longer brewed)
- Wants
- 154
- Gots
- 13
SCORE
99
World-Class
99
World-Class
Notes:
Unblended will be the label for single barrel releases of barrels that are just too nice to blend with anything else.
Barrel #40 was a 100% spontaneously fermented blonde ale that saw time in our coolship. This barrel was beautiful after 13 months of aging and I decided to bottle it as is. Our first coolship beer to be released.
Barrel #40 was a 100% spontaneously fermented blonde ale that saw time in our coolship. This barrel was beautiful after 13 months of aging and I decided to bottle it as is. Our first coolship beer to be released.
Reviews: 11
| Ratings: 112
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PDXAmbassador from Florida
4.64/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Unfortunately my bottle was a bit oxidized. Doesn't seem a common problem with this beer, but it smelled of Sherry and almonds as if it's been a much older beer. That being said, I'll try to rate accordingly...and I loved it.
Beautiful lime zest, bright acidity, Sp Funk, and Gueuze-like character. One of my all time favorites from SP, and it's clear why they're using this culture to inoculate a whole series of "blended" beers going forward.
Jun 02, 2017
4.64/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Unfortunately my bottle was a bit oxidized. Doesn't seem a common problem with this beer, but it smelled of Sherry and almonds as if it's been a much older beer. That being said, I'll try to rate accordingly...and I loved it.
Beautiful lime zest, bright acidity, Sp Funk, and Gueuze-like character. One of my all time favorites from SP, and it's clear why they're using this culture to inoculate a whole series of "blended" beers going forward.
Jun 02, 2017
TheSevenDuffs from Canada (ON)
4.75/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
This has the perfect amount of sour, filled with funky brett and a slight acidity. A big stone fruit presence with hints of peach and light white wine and oak flavours. Near perfect.
May 22, 2016
4.75/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
This has the perfect amount of sour, filled with funky brett and a slight acidity. A big stone fruit presence with hints of peach and light white wine and oak flavours. Near perfect.
May 22, 2016
Kurmaraja from California
4.45/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Appearance is murky, turbid, a bit uninspiring. Straw color, a touch of haze. Nothing to worry about on the style however. White wine and stone fruit, nectarine, hay and brie, waves of toasted oak, apple / pear, white pepper. Sourness that you feel behind your cheekbones and back in your salivary glands. Very good but, as is the case with many SP small formats, I find the sharpness trying after a while.
Aug 21, 2015
4.45/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Appearance is murky, turbid, a bit uninspiring. Straw color, a touch of haze. Nothing to worry about on the style however. White wine and stone fruit, nectarine, hay and brie, waves of toasted oak, apple / pear, white pepper. Sourness that you feel behind your cheekbones and back in your salivary glands. Very good but, as is the case with many SP small formats, I find the sharpness trying after a while.
Aug 21, 2015
Abbbp from Texas
4/5 rDev -13%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Came back to rereview this bottle just to emphasize to newer traders and tickers to not chase this bottle expecting something more than meh. It's good, you can tell the special reason for holding this back as it was their first cool ship, but in reality it's just ordinary. Gorgeous color, but from there it goes into the realm of not memorable. Try it w ease, seek w caution though.
Dec 12, 2014
4/5 rDev -13%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Came back to rereview this bottle just to emphasize to newer traders and tickers to not chase this bottle expecting something more than meh. It's good, you can tell the special reason for holding this back as it was their first cool ship, but in reality it's just ordinary. Gorgeous color, but from there it goes into the realm of not memorable. Try it w ease, seek w caution though.
Dec 12, 2014
Stevedore from Oregon
4.42/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
375ml bottle, split 4 ways. Poured into a taster glass 9/5/2014.
A- Light straw-yellow in colour, half finger white head that is quite short lived. Some lacing is left behind at the end. [4]
S- Aggressive lactic acid with a nice white wine component. Some stone fruits come out- a bit of peach and nectarine. Oak, a slight bit of pepper. [4.5]
F- White wine, oak, sweet pale malt. Not particularly sour in terms of flavour but it really shows up in the mouthfeel. Sweeter than expected- stone fruits in particular come out a lot here. Peach and nectarine sweetness, if not the flavour, comes out a lot here. [4.5]
M- Medium bodied, substantial for what it is. About the right amount of carbonation. Surprisingly, this beer feels sour if it doesn't quite taste as sour as it feels, which has been typical of Side Project as of late. Lots of lactic acid that really comes across on the mouthfeel, causing my glands to burn up. [4]
O- I'm starting to get a bit weary of Side Project here; their mainstays (Fermier, Fuzzy) are phenomenal but all of these limited 300 bottle count releases trade for quite too much when they all start tasting and feeling so similar to each other. Perhaps this is simply just the base beer for the vast majority of their beers. Still, this is a very good beer that is very much worth drinking should you come across it. [4.5]
Final score: 4.425
Sep 06, 2014
4.42/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
375ml bottle, split 4 ways. Poured into a taster glass 9/5/2014.
A- Light straw-yellow in colour, half finger white head that is quite short lived. Some lacing is left behind at the end. [4]
S- Aggressive lactic acid with a nice white wine component. Some stone fruits come out- a bit of peach and nectarine. Oak, a slight bit of pepper. [4.5]
F- White wine, oak, sweet pale malt. Not particularly sour in terms of flavour but it really shows up in the mouthfeel. Sweeter than expected- stone fruits in particular come out a lot here. Peach and nectarine sweetness, if not the flavour, comes out a lot here. [4.5]
M- Medium bodied, substantial for what it is. About the right amount of carbonation. Surprisingly, this beer feels sour if it doesn't quite taste as sour as it feels, which has been typical of Side Project as of late. Lots of lactic acid that really comes across on the mouthfeel, causing my glands to burn up. [4]
O- I'm starting to get a bit weary of Side Project here; their mainstays (Fermier, Fuzzy) are phenomenal but all of these limited 300 bottle count releases trade for quite too much when they all start tasting and feeling so similar to each other. Perhaps this is simply just the base beer for the vast majority of their beers. Still, this is a very good beer that is very much worth drinking should you come across it. [4.5]
Final score: 4.425
Sep 06, 2014
ThePorterSorter from Oregon
4.39/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
The beer pours a tarnished/dull light golden orange with minimal head that fades quickly without sediment (though visibly there is some yeast caked to the bottom of the bottle). The nose is juicy with tart and subtle notes of stone fruit (peachy apricot without the skin), white grape, and citrus (citron, lemon), followed by some rustic, grainy sweetness and funk. It drinks with tart yeast/funk upfront, minimal sweetness, but a grainy, lemon-lime citrus finish. It's a light bodied, minimally carbonated, slightly watery, funk-forward sour, but remains very drinkable with medium acidity, a lingering, dry, citrusy finish, and uninhibited complexity. I'm lucky to have tried this and I'm really looking forward to more MO-infused treats.
Aug 11, 2014
4.39/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
The beer pours a tarnished/dull light golden orange with minimal head that fades quickly without sediment (though visibly there is some yeast caked to the bottom of the bottle). The nose is juicy with tart and subtle notes of stone fruit (peachy apricot without the skin), white grape, and citrus (citron, lemon), followed by some rustic, grainy sweetness and funk. It drinks with tart yeast/funk upfront, minimal sweetness, but a grainy, lemon-lime citrus finish. It's a light bodied, minimally carbonated, slightly watery, funk-forward sour, but remains very drinkable with medium acidity, a lingering, dry, citrusy finish, and uninhibited complexity. I'm lucky to have tried this and I'm really looking forward to more MO-infused treats.
Aug 11, 2014
boilermakerbrew from Indiana
4.93/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
A- Pours a hazy and brilliant gold to yellow in color. A small and bubbly head that is white in color forms and retains just a little while. Minimal lacing, but some residual light bubbles on the top of the body.
S- Lightly fruity and just a touch tart on the nose. Maybe a hint of white grape flavor that is a little sweet. A slightly spicy and peppery scent comes in towards the back of the scent. At the end of the scent there is a yeast scent that is a little grainy.
T- Starts off with a touch of tart fruitiness followed up by a bit of acidic tartness. The middle of the drink turns back toward a fruity flavor that mostly resembles white grape. The white grape flavor gives the beer a balancing sweetness next to the earlier tart flavors. Slight dry, oaky character at the end mixes and lingers with both the sweet fruit and tart acidity.
M- This beer isn't quite as carbonated as I would expect for the style, but still moderate in the carbonation department. The body of this beer is very smooth and it is very drinkable and refreshing.
Overall, this is a phenomenal beer. Cory does it again with a refreshing, slightly sour wild ale. This is a summer beer in its purest form. It's a shame that I have to pick only one more time to enjoy this with the 2 bottle limit!
Jul 06, 2014
4.93/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
A- Pours a hazy and brilliant gold to yellow in color. A small and bubbly head that is white in color forms and retains just a little while. Minimal lacing, but some residual light bubbles on the top of the body.
S- Lightly fruity and just a touch tart on the nose. Maybe a hint of white grape flavor that is a little sweet. A slightly spicy and peppery scent comes in towards the back of the scent. At the end of the scent there is a yeast scent that is a little grainy.
T- Starts off with a touch of tart fruitiness followed up by a bit of acidic tartness. The middle of the drink turns back toward a fruity flavor that mostly resembles white grape. The white grape flavor gives the beer a balancing sweetness next to the earlier tart flavors. Slight dry, oaky character at the end mixes and lingers with both the sweet fruit and tart acidity.
M- This beer isn't quite as carbonated as I would expect for the style, but still moderate in the carbonation department. The body of this beer is very smooth and it is very drinkable and refreshing.
Overall, this is a phenomenal beer. Cory does it again with a refreshing, slightly sour wild ale. This is a summer beer in its purest form. It's a shame that I have to pick only one more time to enjoy this with the 2 bottle limit!
Jul 06, 2014
JoEBoBpr from Missouri
4.9/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Poured into a Side Project long-stemmed glass.
Pours a nice slightly hazy golden straw color with some slight orange hues. Nice thin fizzy whit head rises up and recedes to a nice thin film.
Aroma starts off with vinous grape notes. White grape skin tannins and acidity are on the nose quick with a nice sharp tartness. Nice slightly sugary sweet notes of grape juice are present. NIce fresh woody notes that hint at some mild vanilla. Simply exquisite with notes of lemon rind and citrus acidity and sourness.
Beer starts off with a sharp acidic sourness that isn't too overwhelming. It smooths out to a nice dry tartness with hints of sweet grape trying to shine through the more tannic vinous character. The tartness lingers on until the nice dry funky finish. Nice notes of oak are present throughout the brew with great wine character. Lower carbonation gives the brew a nice oily and buttery note like a Chardonnay. Delicious.
As always. Great experimentation and execution by Cory King. An amazing brew with nice vinous character and an approachable tartness.
Jul 03, 2014
4.9/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Poured into a Side Project long-stemmed glass.
Pours a nice slightly hazy golden straw color with some slight orange hues. Nice thin fizzy whit head rises up and recedes to a nice thin film.
Aroma starts off with vinous grape notes. White grape skin tannins and acidity are on the nose quick with a nice sharp tartness. Nice slightly sugary sweet notes of grape juice are present. NIce fresh woody notes that hint at some mild vanilla. Simply exquisite with notes of lemon rind and citrus acidity and sourness.
Beer starts off with a sharp acidic sourness that isn't too overwhelming. It smooths out to a nice dry tartness with hints of sweet grape trying to shine through the more tannic vinous character. The tartness lingers on until the nice dry funky finish. Nice notes of oak are present throughout the brew with great wine character. Lower carbonation gives the brew a nice oily and buttery note like a Chardonnay. Delicious.
As always. Great experimentation and execution by Cory King. An amazing brew with nice vinous character and an approachable tartness.
Jul 03, 2014
Alieniloquium from Florida
4.04/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
375 mL bottle poured into a snifter.
Appearance - Hazy yellow. Not much of a head, just a few bubbles when I pour it. Settles to nothing.
Smell - Lots of stone fruits. Lightly acidic. Woody and white winey.
Taste - Very woody. Much more lemony. Not as much of the stone fruit flavor. Kinda grassy. Finishes with a yogurty tartness.
Mouthfeel - Well carbonated. Pleasantly sour.
Overall - It's good, but I was hoping for a little more complexity.
Jul 03, 2014
4.04/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
375 mL bottle poured into a snifter.
Appearance - Hazy yellow. Not much of a head, just a few bubbles when I pour it. Settles to nothing.
Smell - Lots of stone fruits. Lightly acidic. Woody and white winey.
Taste - Very woody. Much more lemony. Not as much of the stone fruit flavor. Kinda grassy. Finishes with a yogurty tartness.
Mouthfeel - Well carbonated. Pleasantly sour.
Overall - It's good, but I was hoping for a little more complexity.
Jul 03, 2014
willis870ace from New York
4.73/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
A great sour. Beer shared with 3 other people, so it was a 4 oz pour--not nearly enough to really enjoy it, but still enjoyed it very much. Very similar to the Fuzzy, but without the lemon mouthful; the smell is less intense as well. An incredible mouthful of flavor.
Jun 28, 2014
4.73/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
A great sour. Beer shared with 3 other people, so it was a 4 oz pour--not nearly enough to really enjoy it, but still enjoyed it very much. Very similar to the Fuzzy, but without the lemon mouthful; the smell is less intense as well. An incredible mouthful of flavor.
Jun 28, 2014
drmcleod10 from Missouri
4.8/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Bottle acquired today from Perennial tasting room. Poured into a stemless wine glass and served at 45 degrees to let warm as I drink. 1 barrel was brewed of this so it yielded roughly 300+ bottles.
A - Appearance is a hazy amber golden orange semi-opague pour with a quarter inch foam head that recedes back into the glass within a couple of seconds. It has a very appetizing appearance and follows a lot of the same characteristics as fuzzy.
S - Smell is upfront with they art smell that you get from a lot of other sours but follows with a nice citrusy aroma that mixes in with some orangey mango passionfruit smells that really only come out on the back end and when it warms up a bit
T - Taste follows the nose, it is up front tart with bright lemony citrus notes which dissipates quickly into a luscious citrus sweet bomb. It's hard to pick out the exact fruits but the beer reminds me of a solid combo between Fuzzy and SdF
M - Mouthfeel is just fine for this style. Every sip leaves you wanting more, and after finishing the bottle I was very tempted to just down another one. It's crisp and to the point and finishes with a smooth light finish
O - I thought this was slightly better than Fuzzy and my favorite SP beer to date. I have not had many, but between SdF, Fuzzy, and this, I believe this one takes the cake. Thanks Cory for brewing another amazing beer, just can't imagine what oude ferm will be like.
Jun 27, 2014
4.8/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Bottle acquired today from Perennial tasting room. Poured into a stemless wine glass and served at 45 degrees to let warm as I drink. 1 barrel was brewed of this so it yielded roughly 300+ bottles.
A - Appearance is a hazy amber golden orange semi-opague pour with a quarter inch foam head that recedes back into the glass within a couple of seconds. It has a very appetizing appearance and follows a lot of the same characteristics as fuzzy.
S - Smell is upfront with they art smell that you get from a lot of other sours but follows with a nice citrusy aroma that mixes in with some orangey mango passionfruit smells that really only come out on the back end and when it warms up a bit
T - Taste follows the nose, it is up front tart with bright lemony citrus notes which dissipates quickly into a luscious citrus sweet bomb. It's hard to pick out the exact fruits but the beer reminds me of a solid combo between Fuzzy and SdF
M - Mouthfeel is just fine for this style. Every sip leaves you wanting more, and after finishing the bottle I was very tempted to just down another one. It's crisp and to the point and finishes with a smooth light finish
O - I thought this was slightly better than Fuzzy and my favorite SP beer to date. I have not had many, but between SdF, Fuzzy, and this, I believe this one takes the cake. Thanks Cory for brewing another amazing beer, just can't imagine what oude ferm will be like.
Jun 27, 2014
Unblended #40 from Side Project Brewing
Beer rating:
99 out of
100 with
112 ratings
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