Dark At 4:30
Hermit Thrush Brewery

Canned 11/17/21. “Winter is coming” stamped on the side of the can

Moving on with the massive final Hermit Thursh haul, we have quite the interesting one, and one that I apparently listed as a want 3 years back. A sour Belgian Dark Ale aged in gin barrels sounds like an insane idea, though I’m wondering if the execution is as good as the idea. Let’s crack it open and find out

Pours a very dark brown with 2 fingers of creamy light tan head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing

The nose is super interesting on this one, funky but rather mellow. I’m picking up on aromas of tannic red wine, smooth oak, apple skin, black cherry, lemon juice, brown sugar, toffee, light gin, and milk chocolate

It’s pretty similar in taste but a bit sharper which I’m all about. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting red wine vinegar, black cherry, sharp oak, lemon juice, apple cider, wet hay, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and light leather. The swallow brings notes of red wine vinegar, tart cherry, sharp oak, crabapple, molasses, brown sugar, old leather, wet hay, light gin, and cocoa powder

A medium body pairs with moderate carbonation, resulting in a sharp beer. Finishes bone dry and refreshing

This one exceeded my expectations. It’s similar to a Flanders Red or even Oud Bruin but it does it’s own thing too

 

 

 

 

 

Very Dark! Beautiful pour with a nice tan head. Very sweet at first taste then the sour back end. 2020 can states 6.5ABV

 

 

 

Poured into a tulip.
The appearance was a fairly thick dark red to brown color, almost black but not. A mild finger's worth of runny light eggshell white foamy head slid off stealthily. Some quickly sliding lace.
The aroma had some red plums, sweet, sour and tart with some roasted malts and a sly red wine/woody/tannic quality.
The flavor yielded towards the sour side initially then developed a tannic/woody red plum sweet to sour to tart kind nurturing to it. Quick sour red plum to woody aftertaste.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sipping quality about it. Decent carbonation, perhaps just a tad under. ABV felt good. Nice sour to tart and roasted malty finish.
Overall, nice dark sour Belgian ale well worthy to come back to.

 

A: The beer is very dark black in color. It poured with a quarter finger high dark beige colored head.
S: Light to moderate aromas of red wine from the barrel aging are present in the nose.
T: The taste follows the smell and has lots of flavors of red wine from the barrel aging along with notes fo dark and nutty malts. There is a moderate amount of sourness.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and a little tart on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is an interesting sour ale that combines flavors of red wine and dark and nutty malts.

Serving type: can

 

 

 

 

Hermit Thrush Brewery "Dark @ 4:30"
16 fl. oz. can without production codes or freshness dating
$8.50 @ Capone's Restaurant / Take-out, Norristown, PA

Notes via stream of consciousness: "BARREL AGED SOUR DARK ALE" - sounds yummy! It pours a mostly clear very dark mahogany brown that appears black in the full glass. The fizzy tan head looks a little like a cola, and it doesn't stay around much longer, not that that's not expected. In the nose it's tart, vinous, fruity with red and dark-skinned fruits, just a little earthy/funky with some wet straw, and lightly oaky. The flavor follows with a fairly sharp tartness, and a dry finish that reveals the oak as it lingers. The fruitiness, however, is more limited. I get some raisin, sharp apple (not green), red berries, and fig but I guess it has a tough time competing with the acidity that's assaulting your tongue. ... ... ... (had to step away for a few minutes)... It's medium-light in body and initially quite zesty with a fine-bubbled effervescent carbonation that then softens to become smoother, lessening the acidic bite, and allowing more fruit to come through. I feel it's at it's finest at that point, but the more zesty start is interesting as well, and the two sides of it give it some complexity. Interesting and refreshing.

3.75/4/4.25/4.25/4.25 = 4.16