Static Spectrum
Wild Mind Ales

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: American Fruited Sour
Glass: Monks House of Ale 12-oz. tulip
Price: n/a
From: My cousin Sam
Purchased: n/a; Received March 22, 2021
Consumed: April 21, 2021
Misc.: Canned on Dec. 15, 2020 at 1:07 a.m. CT

Thanks, Sam!

Got another great haul from Sam. Untappd description read “Smoothie-style sour ale brewed with blackberry, banana and milk sugar, and lightly dry hopped with Hallertau Blanc. A luxurious blend of fruits, with a rich layer of milk sugar, and a tart finish.”

Poured a deep garnet-to-brown color with one finger of dark pink frothy-to-fizzy head. Could maybe see a couple streams coming up along the sides of the glass, but very minute. Average spotty lacing. Poor retention. (Sight - 3.00)

Smelled blackberry, dark fruit, plum, grape juice, light cranberry and hints of the mentioned banana. I really think I got some of the Hallertau Blanc as well, which is a hop I generally don’t care for. A little better out of the can. (Smell - 3.75)

Taste was much better than the nose. In order got grape juice, blackberry, plum, cranberry, dark fruit, black currant, sugary blackberry tart, some banana and light Hallertau Blanc. (Taste - 4.00)

Medium body. Creamy-to-sticky texture. Average carbonation. Long, sweet, tart finish. (Feel - 4.50)

Just an outstanding fruited sour. Really went down well. (Overall - 4.00)

3.93 | 88 | B+

 

Casting a net across the fruit spectrum, the Wild Minds team settle upon blackberry and banana to fuel a sour ale. With the aid of milk sugars, a smoothie-like flavor starts to mount.

Pouring a deep and dark, plush pour of burgundy and crimson, Static Spectrum releases a tall and frothy neon pink froth. Above it all swirls a rich perfume of dark berry, stone fruit, dried fruit, all stewed into warm jammy scent. Similarly to taste, the strong malt, cream and fruit sweetness condense into a strong jammy sweetness with cobbler-like flavor and a creamy pie-crust character.

The blackberries seem to intensify their flavors with a robust dark fruit flavor that borrows from aspects of prune, date, fig, black cherry and plum. With the banana never really showing any favor, the creaminess of the tropical fruit links up nicely with the milk sugars and keeps the session rounded, smooth and creamy. Finishing tart with macerated fruit acidity, hints of apple, lime, wine and grape create a slight offset of sweetness to signal the beer's closure.

Full bodied, sweet and tart, Static Spectrum is a weighted and lumbering fruited sour ale that lingers long and plush in aftertaste leaving impressions of blackberry jam, fruit glaze and reduced balsamic in its wake.