Kalinda "Wild #1" Belgian Style Ale
Drake's Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to GRG1313 for sharing this one at his tasting.

Pours a murky honey brown with a foamy biege head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is slightly sour with malt, grain, and dark fruit aromas. Taste is much the same with sour and tart malt and fruit flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of acidity on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Another bottle from KevSal, consumed blind

Cork & cage 375, a really tough cork to remove.
A - Pours a sort of murky orangish brown with just a ring of bubbles around the glass
S - Nice funky aroma, vinoak, brett, it really smells good.
T - wow, nice taste, oak again, sour apples, tart but not mouth puckering, there is more going on there but I can't place it. Its starting to become more tart as it warms up.
M - Nice carbonation, medium bodied so it has some heft to back up the funk.
D - Very nice beer indeed. There is a lot going on in this beer and its very enjoyable. I don't have a guess as to what it could be. the bottle makes me think its russian river but not anything that i've had before so I'm guessing not. I guess i'll look and see

Drakes Brewing Kalinda Wild #1
Definitely off the radar for me. It says it was aged in a Buffalo Trace barrel for 12 months, so I bet that was the flavor I wasn't picking up but now that I know, I can definitely place it. It is a bit thicker than I expected when I poured it, but you still have no idea that this comes in at 10.5%

Thanks for a new brew KevSal. Well done!

 

Beer brewed by Drake's in a Lost Abbey/Russian River style small corked and caged bottle. This was available from K&L Wines through the Redwood City, California store and purchased in response to a special e-mail to the recipients of the "beer e-mail list." I've never seen it anywhere else. Has a very firm cork for a bottling of, I believe, December 2012.

Pours a medium pink "rose' " color with what seems like light orange tones. A hint of white bubbles that cannot be even close to calling a head fades very fast. Crystal clear with light champagne type bubbles.

Nose is very assertive "oaky, strawberry, brett funk." There is a sour and a funk tone, juxtaposed with some red berry fruit character. Great balance on the nose of funk, berry, fruit, sweet, citric.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with initially a bit of "flab" or dull tones. However, with some time in the glass the mouthfeel brightens significantly. Very light carbonation and a decent citric/sour wild funk balance, the beer is not as sour, acidic or "bright" as I personally would like. Yet, the more I taste it the more I want more! Moreover, the "sour" quality or tone increases with some time in the glass, as well.

Flavor profile is strawberry sour, red berry sour, hints of lemon/lime and hints of red wine grapes. (I get a light pinot noir, granache, light zinfandel tone). The flavors get better and better as you drink it and as it sits in the class for a bit. Very "sour 101" meaning it would be a decent sour for a novice of sours. Too bad it's not available; I think this would be a big hit, although some wild ale/sour afficionados might say it's a bit simple (and they would be correct). However, there is an undertone of whiskey that one might not recognize if one did not know that it was aged in whiskey barrels. The whiskey here is very refined and does not take over the beer whatsoever.

Decent effort; I'd drink again and with food.

A - Hazy golden-orange with a thin finger of off-white head. Fades fairly quickly.

S - Sweet caramel and grainy malts, Bourbon, oak, vanilla, funky Brett, tart green fruits, Belgian yeast, some booze.

T - Sweet grainy and caramel malts, tart green and stone fruits, Bourbon, oak, vanilla, funky Brett, Belgian yeast, some sourness and acidity, and some booze.

M - Medium bodied with moderate-minus carbonation. Smooth with a tart, sour, and warming finish.

D - Great wild ale. The balance of sourness and Bourbon barrel is very nice.

Wild Belgian strong ale made by Drakes for K&L Wines.

Poured into a Lost Abbey tulip.

Body is hazy amber. Aggressive pour produced a small head that quickly turned into a thick ring, leaving some curtains of lace.

In the nose, green apples, peaches, green grass, toffee sugar, balsamic, bourbon.

Mouthwatering sour taste that is rich with layers of flavor. Tastes of sour apples, peaches, pinot noir grapes, balsamic, lemon peel, vanilla, some dank earthiness, and just a hint of bourbon in the finish. Delicious tartness balanced by a little toffee sweetness. Light bourbon flavor and wood aging adds a husky, earthy note. A touch of cinnamon spice in the finish, reminds me of Supplication in that way.

Body is light as is the carbonation. Crisp and clean mouthwatering mouthfeel, drinks more like a wine.

Didn't know what to expect of this one, but I am delighted with it. This is a delicious sour that is vinous, complex and very well balanced. Bourbon barrel aging adds a light husky dimension without being overpowering. Thanks Rodger Davis for making this delicious beer. Glad I have another bottle; I regret I did not get more.