Bacchus
The Alchemist

 

 

Served in a tulip glass at the brewpub at the 5th anniversary party.

Pours a clear garnet color with a thin off white, almost pink head with patchy lacing. Lots of sweet fruity aromas coming from the yeast- cherry, berries and a grape soda like aroma. There is a mix of sweet and sour grape flavors, sweet like grape juice and sour like grape skins at the same time, very unique. Medium body and carbonation, there is a seltzer like mouth feel up front with a dry red wine tannin like ending.
This is such a unique beer, after one sip, you need another to try and fiqure it out. I tried four beers at the anniversary party and this is the one I was craving on the way home.

Alright, wrap your head around this one: A 'Wild Ale' fermented with concord grapes. Thus, pink beer. Like rose champagne. Unreal. Off their tap this one a deep pink color with a light pink head one finger thick. Great retention and some lacing. The aromas were dominated by the grape with some yeast and malt behind it. The flavors were tart with a Welch's grape jelly sweetness following. Dry, tannic and balanced like a good red wine. Totally odd but very drinkable and unique. A beer that taught me something.

(Served in a tulip glass)

A- This beer has a deep ruby red body that is dense but clear with a sticky thin white head that has a purple-red hue to it. The head slides down the glass after each sip and last for much of the beer. Very gentle carbonation of tiny bubbles.

S- Soft earthy sweet grape note has a slight note of cream followed by a soft white bread note.

T- The smooth soft grape juice has a dryness in the finish follows by a nice tannin note and a light dark tart cherry hint. The finish is a slight note of soft cheese and a sweet and tart finish.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a tight little fizz at the finish that cleans up the taste nicely. No real alcohol heat is noticed. I think the tannins might mask it.

D- This beer has a nice soft tartness and it is really smooth making it a nice session beer even though it is 7%ABV. It doesn't leave palate fatigue like the big sour beers I love. The grapes were a nice flavor but might get annoying after multiple glasses.

After experimenting with the super sour wild ales of russian river, I found this guy to be a nice step in another direction. The dark ruby red color indicated there was more to this animal than light malts and crazy yeast, and the aroma depicted some roasted characteristics similar to a scottish ale. The roastiness combined with grape taste brought this closer to a red wine and balanced the semi-sour nature amazingly well... making this an easy drinker. It's an extremely well balanced and tastey treat that I would love to have a constant supply of.

Poured a cherry-red color with a one-finger head. Aroma was very much of grape with the brett yeast apparent and some spiciness upfront. The taste was very tart, the grape showing through well and it was smooth and drinkable. Left a nice dryness towards the back of the throat. I really liked this ale. I've never had anything like this that I can recall.