Trouvaille
Commonwealth Brewing Company

 

The aroma offers an impressive fruit salad quality - mango, tangerine, papaya, peach, and cherry all pop vibrantly. Dry hopping has done its job beautifully. There is a subtle lacto quality that offers touches of Greek yogurt and lemon, but that aspect remains subtle. Also subtle is the barrel presence...to the point of almost being overly mild. Bits of candied sugar and crackery malt round out the nuanced and wonderful nose. On the taste buds, I first pick up a rudimentary lacto note - it seems forced and a bit clashing, not what the nose really suggested. Luckily, the rest of the beer is quite tasty. After the iffy opening, the middle sees the impressive fruit salad note from the dry hopping in tact (a good mix of tropical and stone fruits are displayed), while it ends with touches of candied sugar, light malt, and maybe a touch of oak. The wine barrels are a very subtle suggestion at best, but they still manage to add a little something. It feels substantial and round on the palate, without being encumbering (read: it's fairly dry, too). The feel is very much Dupont-esque, which is a huge compliment. There isn't much chalkiness from the lacto, either. Carbonation is moderate. I'll say this is mostly a success. The "sour" aspect adds absolutely nothing, but everything else is quite tasty. I would consider buying it again (especially a version with brett, Commonwealth!)

3.75/5: Easy to drink saison with a great focus on dry hopping, but it didn't really need to be sour

 

Went to Commonwealth in July 2017 after my wife asked to go and get some Wapatoolie (she loved it and she's not a microbrew drinker) . Got a pour from the tap and enjoyed the taste.