Swanky Smack - Barrel-Aged
Noon Whistle Brewing Co.

 

My wife is really into sour beers so she requested that I pick this one up from the brewery one day. Finally getting around the trying this one out and sharing it with her.

This beer pours a frothy, albeit slightly creamy, off white head that dissipates very quickly to a thin rim around the glass. The beer itself is a deep, dark amber color and opaque, but with heavy carbonation visible. 4/5 The aroma is sweet but tart with notes of dates, raisins, lemon juice, white bread, and a Bret funkiness. The dates and raisins add a decent sweetness to the aroma profile but the Bret and lemon juice really take the cake in terms of dominance. 3.75/5 The flavor essentially mimics the aroma with notes of dates and raisins coming out initially before a lemon juice note takes over, bringing that tartness to the forefront. Right in the middle there is an earthy oak note that comes through from the barrel aging, which adds a nice dimension to the flavor. The Bret funkiness really comes out strongly in the final third of the flavor before a bitter tea extract note comes through, showcasing the hops. 3.75/5 This is a light bodied beer that features a pretty hefty carbonation burn up front, almost on the level of a soft drink. There is no drying to this but it also does not coat and wet either. 4/5 This is a very good Flanders Red that both my wife and I enjoyed. The barrel aging adds a nice complexity to the flavor. Easy drinking, almost like a soft drink, but with just a hint of booze. 3.75/5

 

This is every bit as good as, if not better than, the Goose Island Lolita or Juliet. It is on a particular with the top notch Belgian Flanders reds.