Astrolabe
Urban Artifact

Spinning off of Gadget lore, Urban Artifact simplifies their midwest fruit tart recipe and intensifies it all at once. Concord grapes find their way into a stronger sour ale in generous doses.

Deep and rusty purple and mauve, Astrolabe releases an initial lavender froth that falls quickly. In doing so, the juicy aroma of dark grape and berry align on the nose with a backdrop of red wine, cider and citrus. A faint dusty character adds a subtle funk to the scent until the first sip of sweet fruit juices, creamy cereal and sourdough rush onto the tastebuds. As the sweetness relaxes, the sourness ushers in the taste of lime, lemon and gooseberry with an over current of fuller red wines. A mild peppery balance comes with alcoholic warmth to finish like grog.

Urban Artifact hits home with another higher gravity sour that's masterfully created, yet somehow the senses want something more complex, drier and distinctive.

 

This episode begins with two twelve ounce cans emptied into a clear glass liter mug. There's an interruption in the second pour, on account of an excessive amount of pink foam produced. The liquid beneath is mauve, or dull and opaque violet. There's a vague sourness to smell, but surprisingly, it's not specifically grape and nothing more. Even to taste, the grape element is there, but not annoyingly dominate, although it does intensify as more is consumed. True to its style, this isn't close to being too sweet and it really is slightly more sour than tart. The eight plus ABV isn't noticed at all. The mouthfeel is just what you'd want in a fruited sour, not too thin and not nearly too heavy. This is a unique and worthwhile try, especially if you like sours. The ABV runs a little high, albeit unnoticed and the foam remanents look terrible. But, this is a good beer, especially as a once in a while sour.

 

Tastes like Welch's in the most satisfyingly nostalgic way

 

 

Can. Clear ruby color.

Tastes like welches grape juice/sparkling wine. Very jammy. Hard to find the high abv. A little tartness. Not sour. Easy drinking. This was enjoyable.

Dark grape juice mixed with tart beer. More grape juice - less wine flavors. Good carbonation that fits well with the beer. I definitely enjoyed it.

12 ounce can, canned on 10/30/20. Served in an Urban Artifact chalice, the beer pours a hazy reddish/purple color with almost an inch pink head that didn't stay around for too long. Small amount of lacing. I like the aroma a lot, the brew smells mostly like concord grapes, along with some vanilla. Taste is pretty much just like the aroma, the concord grape flavor stands out but there's also some vanilla, grape skin and a tart citrus-like tang noticeable too. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's enjoyable and easy to drink. I liked this brew, but it helps if you like concord grapes. If you're a big grape fan then this one is for you!

Pours a grape juice purple with a slightly pink head that dissipates quickly. It smells like semi sour grape juice and grape juice with a winey funk on the finish. The taste has that same middle ground of wine, grape juice, and soda with no detectable malt presence and an equally sour, bitter, sweet and dry finish. Overall very good and people that like wine would probably like this one too.

Ordered from Tavour and poured into a pint glass.

Look: grape colored with finger size head and no lacing
Smell: Concord grapes, a bit of malt and a hint of vanilla
Taste: Concord grape, a hint a hint of vanilla and a tiny trace amount of malt. Sour forward with no tracing of sour on the end. No hard acidity in the sour.
Feel: sour, little carbonation. The mouthfeel is not very full and diminishes quickly making it more refreshing

Interesting beer. The grape domination of flavor and aroma really makes this more like a table wine than a beer. There is little malt and a lot of fruit with a little sour, making more like something I would drink on Sunday morning at church than Saturday night partying.

Pours a light purple, the smell of grapes is apparent right away and the grapes are no less a[parent in the taste.

Heavy flavor upfront with a light and crisp finish. This is a genuinely delic9ious beer.

Two words..

Concord....

Grape.....

Gotta like em a lot if you're going to drink this beer... this is Welch's that isn't as sweet and finishes sort of like a semi-dry red wine...

It's tasty for sure... a bit of a one trick pony though....

 

 

Urban Artifact Astrolabe is a Concord grape fruit tart. 8.2% ABV with little foam and a mild effervescence that produces a light mouthfeel. Nose, appearance and taste are all Concord grapes. The tartness balances the grape flavor well, but I suggest not trying if you don’t like Concord grapes.