Shaken Not Stirred Vol. 1 (The Whiskey Sour)
Oliver Brewing Company

16oz can from Brewers Haven. Orange/ apricot colored pour, small fizzy head. Aroma is light sour/tart, oranges, lemons, other fruity notes. Lemon, funky tart in the taste, dry, sticky, mildly sweet. On target for the whiskey sour vibe.

there is a lot to like about this one, but much like its gin fizz sister beer, the nitro is off on this. not only is it rather poorly done in the can, falling out of the beer way too fast, but even if it were on point, its not the right texture for these flavors, and it makes the whole thing seem dull and muted to me, much as i think they got the taste pretty right on. this has a rusty orange color to it and some haziness, no real head after the initial can pour, but a fun aroma of orange and whiskey and wood, less cherry and lactose, i am surprised how much oak is on this, must be the spirals in play here. the flavor has nice bourbon character, and the citrus comes through in the middle to cut some of the grain and lactose sweetness, not a ton of cherry, but just enough at the end, and an almost cocktail cherry character specifically, which is cool. i dont think i want the base beer to be sour though, like the acidity doesnt make a lot of sense, it breaks down some of the richness the beer seems to want to establish, more sour than a whiskey sour for sure. i love all the wood though, thats the best part of this, and id like the whole thing a lot better if it werent on nitro. overall a really cool project that i hope they keep going, but so far i like the gin one a little better. the idea seems better than the execution on this one...

Super tart, fruity(specifically lemon), and acidic. A beer you would want on a sweltering summers day. We don't get any oak or whisky in this so much, but hey, we never said we were experts.

 

A: The beer is quite hazy dark yellow in color. It poured with a short white head that quickly died down, leaving a thin collar around the edge and some delicate wisps of bubbles on the surface.
S: Light aromas of sour cherries and oak are present in the nose.
T: The taste is a little sour and has flavors of cherries with notes of oak and hints of lemons. The oak lingers into the finish.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer tastes almost like a whiskey sour cocktail except for the whiskey and alcohol, although you do get the associated oak flavors that are normally associated with the barrel aging of whiskey. It is very easy to drink.

Serving type: can

16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 1/8/2019. Pours very hazy deep golden/orange/amber color with a small dense off white head with solid retention, that reduces to a thin lace cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big sour/tart/tangy cherries, fruit skin/pits, lemon juice, lime, orange peel, peach, pear, melon, apricot, red/green apple, white grape/wine, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, vanilla, cream, wheat, biscuit dough, light whiskey/peppercorn/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of cherries, lemon, orange peel, fruity/acidic yeast, lactose, bready malts, and moderate oak barrel notes; with great strength. Taste of big sour/tart/tangy cherries, fruit skin/pits, lemon juice, lime, orange peel, peach, pear, melon, apricot, red/green apple, white grape/wine, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, vanilla, cream, wheat, biscuit dough, light whiskey/peppercorn/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tart/sourness, fruit tang, and light spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of sour/tart/tangy cherries, fruit skin/pits, lemon juice, lime, orange peel, peach, pear, melon, apricot, red/green apple, white grape/wine, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, vanilla, cream, wheat, biscuit dough, light whiskey/peppercorn/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of cherries, lemon, orange peel, fruity/acidic yeast, lactose, bready malts, and moderate oak barrel flavors; with a great malt/tart/sourness and tangy fruit balance; with no puckering flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering tart/sourness and tangy fruit. Light carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/grainy, and fairly acidic/tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 6%. Overall this is an excellent cocktail inspired sour ale. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of cherries, lemon, orange peel, fruity/acidic yeast, lactose, bready malts, and moderate oak barrel flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/drying finish. Great soft nitro finish, and not overly lactic. Awesome balance between juicy/jammy fruit, and Lacto complexity; with great balancing lactose/wheat/malts against acidity, and nice overall oak presence. A very enjoyable offering, and impressive experimental style example. Tastes very close to a Whiskey sour, no complaints.