Fiona
Ellison Brewery & Spirits

 

 

 

I love this, maybe the best sour I’ve had from Ellison. Looks beautiful, deep red/purple, not much head at all, recedes quickly. Smells great, jammy berries, funky, really rich berry flavors, sour, you can taste a nice acidic quality reminiscent of red wine, this is really nice, a little thin, would like a little more head on this, but overall really great.

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, 2018 vintage bottling. Slow gusher upon opening. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy ruby red, light orange/purple color with a 1 finger fairly dense pink head with good retention, that reduces to a thin spotty lace cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing, some clinging bubbles and streaming carbonation. Aromas of big tart/tangy blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, black currant, fruit skin/seeds, lemon, lime, peach, plum, pear, apricot, green apple, melon, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, oak, brown sugar, wheat, cracker, and toasted bread; with lighter notes of 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, blackberries, black currants, red wine barrels, and dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tart/tangy blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, black currant, fruit skin/seeds, lemon, lime, peach, plum, pear, apricot, green apple, melon, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, oak, brown sugar, wheat, cracker, and toasted bread; with lighter notes of oaken vanilla, peppercorn, leathery/musty funk, red wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tart/sourness, fruit tang, and light yeast/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of sour/tart/tangy berries, black currant, fruit skin/seeds, lemon, lime, peach, plum, pear, apricot, green apple, melon, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, oak, brown sugar, wheat, cracker, toasted bread, peppercorn, light funk/vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, blackberries, black currants, red wine barrels, and dark/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/tartness and tangy fruit/wine balance; with minimal puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering tart/sourness, tangy fruit, and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, acidic/tangy/tannic, and fairly crisp balanced mouthfeel that is great. No warming alcohol for 7%. Overall this is an awesome fruited Flanders red ale! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, blackberries, black currants, red wine barrels, and dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, and easy to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/tannic/drying finish, not overly lactic. Awesome well rounded Brett/bacteria complexity and jammy berries/currants; great dark/bready malt balance and red wine barrel presence. A really enjoyable offering, and spot on style example.

 

A - Pours a hazy ruby red with a thin pink head.

S - Aroma is raspberries, red wine vinegar and oak.

T - The taste follows the aroma. Sweet and tart raspberries, blackberries, black currant, red wine vinegar and a good amount of oak in the finish.

M - Medium body with medium carbonation. Soft mouthfeel with crisp dry finish.

O - This is a pretty solid Flanders. Nice mix of sweet and tart berries.