Dark Strong Sour w/ Sour Cherries (for Bernie Worrell)
Zebulon Artisan Ales

A one and one half inch dark khaki, creamy head quickly fades. Tiny carbonation emerges from the depths of this very dark beer. There is no lacing. Dark walnut highlights can be seen within the Pretentious Beer Glass Company Hoppy glass.

Tart cherries are sharp against a ton of fresh sawn oak. Notes of other wood exist within but are more difficult to identify.

Tartness carries strongly in the flavor with light cherries. Other red berries are present, though muddy. These may include wine berries and cranberries, possibly raspberry. Oak flavors are modest in comparison to the aroma. Overall, it is rather sweet with light bitterness that is most noticeable throughout the long finish.

Medium to full body with fine carbonation and alcohol as expected.

This beer warms well while enjoying a cool Sunday afternoon out on the deck. A soft violin concerto plays on the radio, complimenting the sharp tartness of this beer.

Appearance: Pours a ruby-highlighted fudge colored liquid with a two finger ecru head; the head fades quickly though it leaves some streaks of lacing behind

Smell: Lactic black cherry, vinous red wine, oak and toasted black bread

Taste: Sweet and tart black cherry forward; lactic, with barnyard funk building through the middle; increasingly vinous on the back end, with oak and black bread sopping up the finish; residual puckering

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with low carbonation

Overall: While the lack of persistence in the carbonation is very disappointing, the flavor profile here is as good as anything this brewery has produced