Fruit Squad + Red Wine Grapes
Westbound & Down Brewing Company

hands down one of the best beers these guys have ever made, a strong wood aged funky saison type with syrah and mouvedre grapes from california. its funky and mature and a really incredible showcase of this fruit, i cant imagine it with anything but these grapes now, even though i know they have done it with some other fruit in the past, this is a perfect match! the beer is rose pink to pale red, not fully clear, and without a ton of head after the initial bottle pour. aroma of tangy cranberry, sweeter ripe blackberry and raspberry, and lots of red wine tannins. the oak with the fruit is attractive in the aroma too, vanilla and white tea nuance from it, and the combination is killer in the flavor too, an awful lot of wood to this gives it as much wine character as beer. as much as i love the grapes in here and the depth they give to the beer, i am most impressed with the fermentation profile, which is funky and interesting, not generic and cultured to me, lambic-esque as it warms, but not overly sour, just past tart, balanced by the earthy wood and the sweeter elements of the fruit, they really have this well refined. it could use just a pop more of carbonation, but i like all the body and how well hidden the alcohol is. this is a really well done beer, a new high point for these guys perhaps. everything has been awesome from them lately though. this is sure to cellar well!