Figtasma (Double Barrel-Aged On Figs)
OEC Brewing (Ordinem Ecentrici Coctores)

 

 

The body is the darkest matte brown with burgundy undertones topped by a thin creamy tan blanket that settles to a persistent collar.

Smell is much softer than you'd expect, leading with cocoa dusted figs, faintly chocolatey roasted malt, charred barrel, balsamic glaze, and pecan.

Taste continues to deliver that toasty, roasty charred oak, but with a sharp sourness that nears acetic acid that's just skirting harshness. It's very reminiscent of old world aromas and flavors, with a solid, aged figgy-ness, red apple, red grape, and tannin-heavy red wine. Throwing me off guard a bit, it actually smooths out and becomes less sour with time.

The medium body is smooth and round with a fine, thin fizz and a softly chalky dry finish.

This is easily one of the craziest sounding beers I've ever had, and they clearly put a lot of work into it, but I'm not sure it fully paid off. It's definitely a really good beer, but simultaneously, it doesn't drastically stand out from other high quality dark sours--the individual components utilized here don't really breakthrough to make themselves known.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The beer offers the familiar flavors of the base with roasted malts, chocolate, tart, vinegar. Then onto tons of red wine, musty grape peel, cork, a sharp tart quality with hints of dried fruit, figs, plums. The barrels still shine with spice cherry and smokey malts.