Black Mangrove
Wolf's Ridge Brewing

750 ml bottle, poured into a Tripel Karmeliet tulip at ~50 degrees F.

L: Pours a deep stained cherrywood out of the bottle, but becomes impenetrably black in the glass. Forms three or so fingers of dense pale khaki head with great retention.

S: Acetic and balsamic, with a caramelly sweetness beneath. A soft oaky note in the background. Something not terribly dissimilar to the aroma at St Mary campground in Glacier National Park, which is literally in the middle of a giant wild huckleberry patch.

T: Opens quite similar to a Flanders red, with balsamic vinegar and caramel malt sweetness. As it moves along the palate, the acetic vinegar lingers but fades to allow a slurry of berry, red grape, oak tannins, and vinous qualities to emerge. A touch of vanilla manifests by the finish, and tart berry with vinegar notes linger in the aftertaste. As it warms, some notes of old untreated lumber and dark soil manifest.

F: Full, lively, and sticky.

O: This is a delight, but I am biased towards beers of the sweet and sour persuasions, and where barrel-aging serves in a supporting role rather than a center-stage bludgeon.

750 ml bottle, packaged on May 16, 2019. Served in a Wolfs Ridge chalice, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch cola like light tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. I like the aroma, the brew smells like dark berries (blackberry, raspberry), red wine/grapes, oak, funk, vinegar, earthiness and vanilla. For the most part the taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some roasted malt and tart dark berry flavors. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit slick and coating with a good amount of soft carbonation. Easy enough to drink. I thought this was a pretty good tart/sour ale, I liked it a lot. Definitely worth picking some up if you come across a bottle or two!