High Like A Dove
Fonta Flora Brewery

incredibly fermenty- almost vinegar-like. not bad but very weird

Batch #3, bottled December 2023

This one sounds really interesting. It’s not often you see a combination of blueberry, vanilla, and nutmeg in a beer, but I trust that Fonta Flora knows how to make this one work. Let’s pop it open and find out what it has to offer

Pours an opaque reddish purple with a finger of soapy reddish pink head that slowly fades to a ring and leaves decent lacing

Oh man, the nose on this one is super vibrant, very blueberry forward with the finishing adjuncts adding a subtle complexity. I'm picking up on aromas of jammy blueberry, tart raspberry, sharp oak, earthy cinnamon, vanilla bean, lemon zest, black peppercorn, tannic red wine, and light nutmeg

It doesn't have quite the same punch in taste, but it's still damn good. On the front end of the sip I'm tasting jammy blueberry, lemon juice, brown sugar, toasted oak, vanilla bean, blackberry, grape skin, nutmeg, and light graham cracker. The swallow brings notes of jammy blueberry, sharp oak, tannic red wine, black peppercorn, lemon zest, nutmeg, light coriander, and a touch of vanilla

A medium body pairs with gentle tingling carbonation, resulting in a sharp beer. Finishes bone dry and refreshing

Surprising absolutely nobody, this is another killer beer from Fonta Flora. Like always, I need more from them

16.9 ounce bottle, bottled December 2022. This bottle is Batch 2 but since the description sounds the same as the first batch, I don't see the need to add a new entry for this beer. Served in a Teku, the beer pours a ruby red/purple color with about an inch pink head. Head retention and lacing are both good. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like blueberries, vanilla, nutmeg and oak. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some earthiness noticeable too. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's smooth and easy to drink with a good amount of carbonation. I liked this one, definitely worth trying if you get the chance!

Slightly hazy dark garnet that almost leans to magenta or purple under a very short pastel mauve head that fizzles out to a sparse film.

Spicy oak-like qualities, perhaps from the nutmeg, meet strong blueberry tannin that is thankfully more bittering than acidic, almost translating like a kriek with hints of cinnamon, but still blueberry-esque. Though I sometimes get a hint of dill, and the acidity also seems to increase over time, it's not enough to hinder my enjoyment.

Fantastic complexity!

Appearance: Arrives with the liquid slightly redder than expected (more cranberry than blueberry colored) with a stacked mauve head; streaky lacing

Smell: Oaky with blueberry aromatics; hints of nutmeg

Taste: The oak lays down a dry tone with the blueberry, nutmeg and vanilla first bringing a slightly sweet element that doesn't last long; the tart blueberry tones build powerfully, through the middle, so that the second half is sour, with a dry, oaky finish

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: Nice to see Fonta Flora with a new fruited sour; this one shows off their capabilities in the wild ale category