Rum Rug
Fonta Flora Brewery

Strawberries, wine and rum all sound like an alcoholic concoction that I would have made up before I knew any better. But meticulously sculpted into a sour ale, Fonta Flora keeps making something out of nothing.

Pouring a pale blush with a scantily cladded froth, Rum Rug teases the nose with a sparkly of red berry, vinous spice, dry oaken funk and a host of dry cider and winey notes. Tersely sweet, any malt influence is of communion wafer and sourdough with a sprinkle of powdered sugar that dissolves rapidly from the tongue. What's left is an intensely sour character of crabapple, lime, lemon, gooseberry, sour grape and an off vinegar pang of acidity. Wrapped in a fresh berry cloud, the session is a masterful blend of maturity and freshness.

Light in body, crisp and slightly off-clean the wild ale is about as lambic-like as appalachia gets.