Systema Natvræ - Jaboticaba & Honeysuckle
D9 Brewing Company

Full-disclosure - I'm just not a sours kinda guy, though I keep on trying to find something I do like in this style. This one comes close, but still not quite...

The fancy-schmancy name draw me to the bottle and the word sour made me pause. In the end I picked it up and though still not a fan of sours, I did find this probably the best one I've had given I'm not much into this style. Great looking orange,-yellow coloration with a very thin head and no staying power, what meets the nose is a beautifully delicious blend of oranges, grapefruit, honey, and overall sweetness that makes your mouth water. Mouthfeel is mostly astringent with a tacky after effect I overlooked (but did not like at all). It's a sour, and I'm not much into them, so the taste was bitter to the end - without the IPA juiciness to enjoy. Overall, it's one of the better or best sours I've had and I will always make an excursion into this realm looking for the one I will like...

 

 

Pours golden, with some sedimentation at the bottom of the bottle to be aware of. Major tartness on the first sip, but less after acclimatization, and as it warms. I recommend it closer to room temp, allowing the more subtle honeysuckle flavors to emerge and provide some balance.

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a rejuvenated glass. Pours a mostly clear dark gold color with a small fizzy head that dissipates almost immediately. It honestly looks more like Sidral Mundet than a beer. Smell is a bit concerning. Welche’s white grape juice. Like that’s honestly it. If you’re looking for something else (and I really was), you can smell a little bit of souring microflora, but just barely. Taste is what I’d expect at this point. Sour grape juice, an ever so slight touch of funk, and lots of sweetness. Lots of it. Feel is fine, albeit a bit thick and sweet. Overall, this brewery has fallen flat for me a few times and this was one that I thought might win me over. Not so much, however. For my tastes at least (and it is subjective, after all), this was hardly worth the calories.