Whiskey Business
Outer Light Brewing Company

16oz can courtesy of that porch plastering psychopath (and I mean that lovingly) named Roguer. My first from Outer Light.

Poured into a vaguely Belgiany looking glass, this was a somewhat opaque copper amber color, with a good sized beige colored head. Said head dropped fairly quickly, leaving virtually no sign of it's existence besides a thin ring around the top of the liquid.

Really interesting nose. The cherry really jumps out at me here. I also get a bit of a whiff of whiskey and an okay, woodsy sort of scent.

More complex than the nose, which is saying something. The lemon stands out quite a bit more here than in the nose, where it was almost a suggestion. It and the cherry flavor melds quite harmoniously here. The fruit is tart, but not fiercely puckeringly so. In the background is a cloak of whiskey flavor, and it finishes with a zap of tart cherry flavor more distinct than it was at the start of the taste. Weirdly, it seems most sour, as opposed to tart, in the aftertaste, beyond the swallow.

I freaking love this. For lack of any other term, I guess I'd call this a pastry sour, a sub-style I'm modestly familiar with, but it doesn't remind me much of most of the ones I've had. I kinda wish I had another can so I could share it with friends at a local brewery that come the closest to anyone I know that brews something similar. Thanks, Andrew!

Medium amber body topped with a thick, frothy head; splotchy patches of foam stick to the glass. Gentle fruit aroma; grape, orange and lemon; very light wood mustiness. Very tart and juicy taste; lemon drops and sweet cherries; touch of whiskey in the background. Medium body; acidic and mouth watering.

This outstanding sour ale exudes mouthwatering goodness. Yes, it is sour but not extremely intense. The whiskey barrel aging is pretty low-key yet does provide a bit of offset to the lemon and cherry character. Well-crafted and very approachable.

Pouring temperature: 42 °F; canning info: none seen

Good head production; poor retention (not a shock, given the style and aging). Body is a slightly murky, translucent orange-tinted brown; not hazy, and no floaties. Overall: yeah, it looks OK.

Smell is wonderful; the whiskey is potent, greeting you as soon as you crack open the can. Up close, the lemon and cherry come through, along with the whiskey. If the goal was to replicate an Old Fashioned, I think they nailed it. If that's a coincidence, then it's a happy one.

Much more sour on the palate, right off the bat; this is definitely a sour ale, as advertised! Lasting vinegar and tannins, accented by the oak and whiskey. None of the Old Fashioned notes are quite as prominent as they were on the nose, but they're still present, with the whiskey still the most potent of the three. The lemon and cherry are entirely complementary. No longer quite an Old Fashioned, however.

Mild puckering; it's not over the top sour, by any means, but perhaps a touch much for someone completely new to sours - and it's definitely not some sugary sweet fruited "sour!" The 8.5% is noticeable, but likely more from the whiskey than the alcohol strength.

This is a really good beer. I'm not sure if they were exactly going for an Old Fashioned. If they were, then it's definitely not a total miss, but it's not as good as some other breweries' takes on it. If they were simply inspired by the cocktail, or it's a mere coincidence, then I'll happily be the benefactor of the luck/inspiration, because either way, this is tasty!