A Tale of Two Persimmons
Cellarmaker Brewing Co. - The Rare Barrel

Poured vigorously from a 12oz bottle into a pilsner glass.

Beer is a cloudy, straw yellow with a thin, quickly dissipating head. Threads of carbonation rise through the beer and some bubbles gather just below the surface without breaking.

Nose is bright and lactic, undertones of day-old cut grass and just a hint of stone fruit - most likely the persimmon

Flavor starts with a lactic sourness that is immediately overtaken with a carbonated bitterness and a dry, astringent pucker. Lactic acid comes back and lingers a bit on the finish along with the springy persimmon flesh and a gentle grainy flavor that's more like cream of wheat than malt.

Could be psychological priming, but the mouthfeel is very dry. The weight of the beer is akin to Perrier or perhaps champagne after it's been open for a bit due to the crisp astringency, bright sourness, and vibrant carbonation.

Overall, it's an interesting idea that tries for subtlety and texture rather than just hitting you over the head with a pair of persimmons. Evocative, perhaps. If I hadn't seen the label, I might stumble upon the keynote flavor based on the feel. So I give it a good score for being enjoyable, but docked a bit in points on flavor and overall because while the effect is good, the intent is somewhat unclear.

 

L: A very light yellow color.
S: A bit sharp but very light persimmons flavor.
T: A simple sharp citrus front with persimmon flavor finish.
F: Light sour beer.
O: A very weak, light unique sour beer with persimmon flavor. Could add more to make it special and/or unique.

L: Poured from a bottle to a snifter glass. Had a bright, golden yellow color and a mostly clear consistency. There was a half inch of foamy, somewhat long-lasting head. Not much lacing to speak of.

S: A pretty good aroma of citrus fruit, stone fruit, honey, malt, and pear.

T: Tasted of a little hint of honey (a very sweet tinge), a good amount of stone fruit (the advertised persimmons), a decent amount of malt (a solid backbone), a good shot of citrus fruit (lemon, especially), a musty quality at first, and some pear as well. This is a solid, light, sour, and lively flavor. Gets better as you go along.

F: A well-carbonated beer with a sharp finish. Medium-bodied.

O: On the whole, this is a likable sour beer. Worth a try.