Afterlight
The Rare Barrel

AfterlightAfterlight
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From:
The Rare Barrel
 
California, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
6%
Score:
92
Avg:
4.18 | pDev: 7.18%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
71
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 09, 2020
Added:
Apr 07, 2016
Wants:
  5
Gots:
  24
Afterlight is a dark sour beer aged in French Bordeaux wine barrels. Fermented with Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus, this decadent sour beer presents notes of dark chocolate, dried cherries and vanilla. Dark and alluring, Afterlight entwines flavors of both beer and wine.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jeremiahoden:
Photo of jeremiahoden
Rated by jeremiahoden from Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Jan 10, 2017
More User Ratings:
Photo of SHODriver
Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Poured into a duvel tulip to a beer so brown that it's essentially black. The beer is topped by a finger of rocky deep tan head which fades quickly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing.
S: Smells of leather and chocolate with oak and some sour cherry notes. Really nice nose.
T: Taste is sour cherries, chocolate, oak, and leather with slight hints of funk and vanilla. Juicy red berry notes with a nice layer of acid. On the swallow it's more cherries, chocolate, leather, and oak with some slight lingering funky sourness.
M: This beer has a body which is fairly moderate. It feels slightly slick and syrupy on the palate with an adequate amount of carbonation. The finish on this one is drying due to the acidity.
O: This beer is incredible. The fruity flavors mixed with the savory chocolate notes are just awesome. The complexity on this beer is fantastic and the flavors meld together very well. This beer is an absolute joy to drink and one that is worth seeking out.
Jul 09, 2020
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

4.06/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours espresso colored with a rather thin beige cap; dots and a few streaks linger as the head fades

Smell: The Bordeaux oak barrels present along with blackberry and cherry tones; a hint of chocolate

Taste: Acetic from the outset, with the blackberry and cherry flavors subsumed by the sourness; some Bordeaux oak barrel in the middle that keeps it dry and there is a hint of chocolate that hangs around from start to finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation; quite puckery

Overall: I was hoping to get more out of this than the acid as there are some nice flavors here; I guess the years in the bottle have made this more acetic over time
Jun 13, 2020
 
Rated: 4.42 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Feb 24, 2020
Photo of sd123
Rated by sd123 from Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3 years out and tastes like balsamic vinegar
Oct 30, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by mattreitz49 from Florida

Sep 29, 2018
 
Rated: 3.94 by 22Blue from Kansas

Aug 11, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by oline73 from Maryland

Apr 23, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by t2grogan from Arizona

Nov 10, 2017
 
Rated: 4.21 by reebtaerG from Maryland

Nov 02, 2017
 
Rated: 4.21 by vfgccp from New York

Nov 01, 2017
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

4.41/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
another killer beer from the rare barrel, but honestly, in my now somewhat extensive experience with their beers, they just dont age all that well. every single one i have ever had fresh has been amazing, and every single one i have ever had that has been cellared has been so over the top sour as to be almost unappealing. the intense caustic acidity is better here than in others, but its still way too much, past even vinegar into that malic acid harshness realm, which to me has to be a flaw. that said, the flavor in this beer is still absolutely incredible if you can get past the tooth decaying sourness. i could almost swear there has to be fruit in here, it seems hard to believe that there isnt, and that all of this raspberry and dried cherry character comes from the bordeaux barrels alone. there is a ton of red wine character too, dried fruity jammy aspects and the tannins, but this is a fruitiness almost beyond wine, very impressive! cranberry, cherry, and wood later on, slick and full bodied going down, the acid comes on late but it comes on hard, toned back even by 20% or so this would be an all time great, but its just too much. this much have been epic when it was brand new, but like all rare barrel stuff in my experience, the cellar has turned it into an acid bomb. still delicious, but thats a shame. small doses only for me at this point, but amazing depth of flavor from the barrels and still some funkiness too!
Oct 13, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by Kurmaraja from California

Oct 11, 2017
 
Rated: 4.15 by NolaHopHead from Louisiana

Sep 28, 2017
 
Rated: 4.09 by emottram from Massachusetts

Jul 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by BEER88 from North Carolina

Jun 24, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by IckyT2012 from Florida

Jun 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.55 by Frosty11161 from California

Jun 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.02 by Sk8sean86 from Massachusetts

May 18, 2017
Photo of scottfrie
Reviewed by scottfrie from California

4.24/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
750ml bottle into snifter. 2016 bottle.

A: Pours a deep dark brown with a finger of fizzy dark tan head that quickly bubbled away into nothingness. No lace.
S: Tart dark sour notes of black cherry skins and black currents mixed with hints of chocolate, caramel, and leather. Musty barrel character shines through with hints of oak and vinous red wine. Light acidity shines through on the nose as well.
T: Follows the nose with sweet notes of dark fruits and red berries mixed with tart cherry skins and bright acidity. The finish is full of greasy and smooth oak, light caramel, and leather. I get hints of current, red grape, and chocolate in the aftertaste. Flavors remind me of an oud bruin.
M: Medium-full body with fizzy, slightly prickly carbonation. The mouthfeel is initially greasy and slick, but bright and tart acidity quickly dominates with a solid blast of lactic and acetic acid. Drying finish with some clinging gritty tannins.
O: Definitely reminds me of an oud bruin with strong acidity and complex dark/red flavors. Perhaps not as deep and rich and some Belgian counterparts, but everything works together very well.
Mar 21, 2017
Afterlight from The Rare Barrel
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 71 ratings