Kathryn The Great
Ellison Brewery & Spirits

 

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, 2018 vintage bottling. Bit of a slow gusher opener. Pours lightly hazy golden orange/amber color with a small dense off white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin spotty lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big tart/sour lemon, lime, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, melon, green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, oak, brown sugar, wheat, cracker, and toasted bread; with lighter notes of caramel, oaken vanilla, peppercorn, leathery/musty funk, red wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, red wine barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tart/sour lemon, lime, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, melon, green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, oak, brown sugar, wheat, cracker, and toasted bread; with lighter notes of caramel, oaken vanilla, peppercorn, leathery/musty funk, red wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Light-moderate lactic tartness, wine tang, and light yeast/wine/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/sour lemon, lime, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, melon, green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, oak, brown sugar, wheat, cracker, toasted bread, pepper, light funk/vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, red wine barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; with an awesome malt/tartness and tangy/tannic wine balance; with no puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from tartness and wine/oak tang/tannins. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy/acidic, and lightly tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Zero warming alcohol for 7%. Overall this is an outstanding wine barrel aged sour/wild ale! All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, red wine barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/tannic/drying finish, not overly lactic. Labeled as a Flanders red, but not quite there; expected a bit more malt. Awesome well rounded Brett/bacteria complexity; nice red wine barrel presence, and malt backbone against acidity. A highly enjoyable offering, and spot on wild ale as expected.