American Sour (2014)
Grand Teton Brewing Co.

 

Served probably around 44° as opposed to 40° but what can you do when you have people distracting you and getting in your way? Served in flanged snifter/broad tulip.

Very cloudy peachy apricot orange, with small chunks in suspension. Very fizzy and quickly dissipating head, soda-like but with slightly finer bubbles. Easy to stir up a new head by sloshing it around. Soft, wet lacing that always sinks back into the body. A rubbery funkiness at first, but then moves closer to plain old horse blanket, and maybe a little like Italian cured ham or salami. This is the first sour of any kind I have had that finally had horse blanket as its main aroma, and it’s not anywhere near as disgusting as it first sounds. It’s still in the general category of alcohol/vinegar/fruit. Palate is much the same, rubbery, funky, blankety, but behind all that, a wallop of strong, sharp, diluted white wine vinegar and/or lemon juice and wine-like light fruity notes and almost metallic tannins. You can tease all this out, but the balance is still amazing. Lighter body, about medium, with softer and less effervescent carbonation than fizziness first indicated. A lot of astringency, perfect for the style, leaves me quenching for more although I know my thirst could never be satisfied. This and the sourness do well to hide the heat that 8.5% ABV should otherwise be slamming me with.