Amber Canyon Magik
American Solera

Pours an effervescent amber/honey color with rapidly falling beige head. Zero head retention & lacing

S: Pears, oakyness, some funk on the edges, Chardonay once warmed up, a little honey too, great nose

T: Follows the nose, dry with leafy hops, white grapes, & tartness up front. Some blood orange mixes in with the grapes & oak as this beer warms up, plus tartness. Finishes with tartness, some citrus & oaky white wine

MF: Medium body, restrained carbonation, clinging to the teeth stickiness

This almost drinks more like a wine wanted more funk & hops. Full disclaimer, not a wine fan

 

 

2018 vintage; drank 5/10/23 @ the Beer Temple (thanks Kent!).

Mostly see-through dull orange/yellow appearance.

Small off-white head; no lace.

Oak, flowers, faint dark grape & faint funk notes in the nose.

Medium thin mouthfeel.

Mild flavors of dark grape & oak up front; oak & faint funk notes on the finish.

Pleasant & enjoyable!

 

 

Bottle, poured into stemless wine glass.
Clear, golden, small bubble off white head.
Aroma is grassy, wine grape, musty.
Flavors include oak, wine grape, grass, herbal, tart, citrus.
Moderate and soft carbonation, medium body.
Nice, tart farmhouse. Smooth, balanced, refined barrel.

Poured into a tulip, the appearance was a fairly soft burnt orange to yellow color with an ever so slight transparency about it. Mellow sheet of white foamy head quickly subdued and left some stringy lace.
The aroma had some red grape, green apple, berries, crushed peppercorn, sweet oak, refined sweet grass and a little bit of funk. Soft white pear and pineapple felt good.
The flavor moderately leaned towards the sweet and tart side while bringing in enough sour to show some strength. Mild aftertaste of funk, red wine, white pear and oranges.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sipping quality about it. Good carbonation with a tickling sour grip but not burdensome. Mellow red wine finish.
Overall, really sour saison that I would love to have again.

500 ml bottle into tulip glass, 2016 vintage. Pours fairly crystal clear deep golden amber/light orange color with a 1 finger dense and fluffy off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big tart/sour red grape/wine, red/green apple, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, berries, peppercorn, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, honey, wheat, cracker, and white bread dough; with lighter notes of biscuit, leathery/musty/lacto funk, white wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, wine barrels, and dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tart/sour red grape/wine, red/green apple, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, berries, peppercorn, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, honey, wheat, cracker, and white bread dough; with lighter notes of biscuit, leathery/musty/lacto funk, white wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tartness, wine tang, and yeast/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of red grape/wine, red/green apple, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, berries, peppercorn, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, honey, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, leathery/musty/lacto funk, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, wine barrels, and dark/bready malt flavors; with a fantastic malt/tartness and tangy wine balance; with zero puckering flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering tartness, wine tang, and carbonation. Medium-plus carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/grainy, and fairly crisp/acidic/tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Zero warming alcohol for 6%. Overall this is a fantastic wine barrel aged sour saison! All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, wine barrels, and dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth, easy, and fairly crisp to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/tannic/drying finish; not overly lactic. Amazingly well rounded Brett/Bacteria complexity, wine barrel presence/integration, and balanced malts against acidity. Mild residual sweetness from crisp acidic dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing style example. Best sour from them yet.

 

Ugly dark amber-brown with a creamy white collar.

Smell is perfectly spicy funk like spiced orange and peppery oak.

Taste is sharp oak, orange and grapefruit. It's a woody and complex funk with a crisp, spicy herbality and a powder dry finish.

Some there are parts of this beer I really like, and others that feel incomplete. The wine barrels were a plus, helping shape the smooth feel and the taste with red wine barrel tannins. The yeast had some floral funk to it that was very pleasant. The rest of the beer felt underdone, with no real supporting elements to add, this was most evident on the smell. Very gentle in the sour and acidity. Good but could have been great

 

The aroma delivers the multiple facets I desire from a wine barrel aged farmhouse beer - pinot noir is deftly interwoven with funky brett notes and touches of lemon sourness. Greek yogurt and lighter fruit esters (like apple, pear, and cherry) also appear. It doesn't taste as sour as expected, though. It opens up with a powerful red wine flavor, as well as touches of cherry. Gentle funk ballasts the middle of the palate between the initial sweetness and the oaky, tannin-filled finish. I could use some more farmhouse elements, though. The balance is excellent, but it lacks elite depth - still, it's very satisfying yet easygoing. Carbonation is low, which helps this come off like a big, oaky red wine. Although a part of me feels that the barrel presence and sour touch covers up an average saison base, I still think this is a rock-solid offering that's very approachable, especially for wine drinkers.

3.82/5: Magikal? Not quite. Really tasty? Yep!

 

 

Great presence of pinot noir barrels in both the aroma and flavor.

 

On tap at Himmeriget in Copenhagen.

Pours a murky orange with some fine, thin foam.

Smell is tart apricot with hints of youghurt and yeast.

Taste is softly sour, with notes of youghurt, apricots, lime and vinegar. Slight citrus bitterness on the finish.

Mouthfeel is medium, well carbonated.

Overall, a thirst quenching sour, that is subtle but tasty.