Anniversary Ale II
Bear Island Brewing Company

quite old now, i feel thankful to have been able to partake in sharing this special bottle. i had no idea these guys really ever made beer like this, i hope they get back to it, this really shows a high level of execution in a style beyond what they are known for, and its downright impressive. it has also aged extremely well, which is to be expected, a bretty dark sour aged on cherry wood with huckleberries and cherries, i would have loved to try it fresh, but time has sure been kind to it. brown ale shade to it, not super dark, and without any deeply roasty grain attributes or anything, its fizzy and effervescent from the large bottle, well conditioned over time with frantic tiny bubbles that last the whole drink, i absolutely love the texture. it also hasnt gotten too sour over time, but the brett has evolved really nicely, mature as can be now, funky and farmy without being sweaty or cheesy in the least, perhaps this was soured on the front end, thus not allowing any living bacteria to acidify this, but i donot know how it was made. the wood element is strong, not obviously cherry wood, but definitely wooden, and i love that with the brett. the fruit is still there, but maybe not as identifiable, its a generic dark berry to me, adding some acidity of its own, but also having a sort of raisin vibe with the dark grain in here. port wine, blackberry, rustic funk, its just wonderful, complex, original, and wildly unexpected from these guys. now the question is, if they can do this so well, why dont they? not so much as a saison ever on their menu from what i can tell, let alone anything bretty or wild, i wish they would embrace this direction a bit. from 2016 i think this was, but among their best beers ever, certainly their most ambitious. what a gem!