East Bank Preserves: Nectarine (Bourbon Barrel-Aged)
Casey Brewing & Blending and Barrel Cellar

 

Bottled on 9/28/18

Pours a foggy, vaguely translucent, and dark golden peach hue while topped with ¾ finger of pillowy, off-white foam; calmly effervescent; expectedly sub-par head retention fades to a vague, paper-thin cap, thin collar, and no lasting lacing around the glass.

Aroma is overwhelmed with ripe, fuzzy nectarine skins upfront, while orchard funk and undertones of wildflower honey accent; a sweetness deepens slightly with advancing nectarine compote and peach skins; Granny Smith apple with soft vanilla in the distance and floral and farmyard funk resume dominance over the middle; an overarching, rounded weight seeps in throughout via oak and more delicate tones of bourbon and caramel to give the bouquet a sense of completion.

Taste offers silky nectarine, so fresh and vivid, now accompanied by a stiffer orchard funk and a sensation of underripe stone fruits; a clean minerality flows across the mid-palate as green apple and touches of lactic acidity interject on the back end and a bit of lemon/lime lingers past the finish.

Mouthfeel brings a medium body alongside a moderate-low carbonation and a taut, semi-gritty acidity with pithy fruit sweetness maintaining moderation; a briefly acetic mid-palate leans towards a slightly oily into back end, carried by a firm yet subtle lactic acid, as the finish forms as an equal mixture of impactful, bright, and clean.

Fruit is softened by time, but the complexities are so readily apparent and still so fresh, that it merely becomes a stage in the evolution of a deeply expressive, predominantly unflustered fruited wild ale; poised and direct, while maintaining an intensely fruit-forward composition that informs the entirety of the beer while paying ample heed to its funkier foundation.