The Search
Cellarmaker Brewing Co. - The Rare Barrel

A: Poured into a tulip to a slightly hazy bright golden yellow beer which is topped by a dense and slightly rocky finger and a half of white head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of sourness and oak with some hints of stone fruits and vanilla
T: Taste is nice and tart up front before the stone fruits come in along with some peppery notes. There's also some oak, hints of melon and vanilla. On the finish there's more sour stone fruits, some bready malt, and lingering stone fruit sourness.
M: This beer has a body which sits at a medium on the palate. Carbonation is somewhat lighter than expected, but still adequate while the beer has a drying finish due to the acidity.
O: Overall this is a really nice beer. It has a nice amount of complexity and some great flavors. It's pretty balanced and the acidity is pretty approachable.

The Search 2018.

A: Pours dark yellow with a couple fingers of fuzzy bright white foam that quickly disappeared into a lingering fuzzy collar.
S: Light nose with a beautiful complexity to the funk. Nuances of peach and musty barrel come through along with a mild acidic notes and earthy base grains.
T: Delicate stone fruit flavors mix with golden pear and a hint of white grape. Notes creamy yeast alongside spicier/earthier depth to the bugs and barrel characteristics. Finish is full of oak and earthy/musty cobweb quality that leads into a slight cheesey/mushroom aftertaste.
M: Medium light body, slightly sweet viscosity to the mouthfeel with a moderate dry finish. Tartness is mellow with just a modest punch up front melding into a slightly bitter finish.
O: Amazingly complex for having no fruit or adjuncts. I love what just yeast a barrel can do. Love the delicate mushroom hints to the funk. Hints of lambic flavors starting to develop. Not quite there, but definitely reminiscent to gueuze flavors that I haven’t experience in a TRB beer before. Nice to taste what the blending is all about without being overshadowed by any fruit.