Notorious BdG - Apple Brandy
Rowley Farmhouse Ales

 

after a long and tedious study of their impressive bottle list (both house beers and otherwise), i finally decided on this one, a biere de garde in apple brandy barrels, so interesting and intriguing to me, pricey, but sure to be worth it. i should start by saying that i liked the beer, but wasnt what i was expecting. after having so many clean beers on their menu, i didnt really expect this to be sour, but it is insanely acidic, even flanders red our oud bruin vinegar type acetic, really pretty intense, especially as a solo mission, smaller doses than a 750ml bottle to the head are recommended! the serve it up nice in a lambic basket and everything, which maybe should have given it away. it has a nice light brown to crimson color, mostly clear, with a head that rises up a little bit but fizzles out quickly. it smells like the oak, port wine, red apples and cognac from the brandy, some burnt or about to be burnt sugar, light toasted notes from the grain, and a sharp tannic thing that makes my mouth water. this doesnt have the usual malt depth of french type ale yeast that i am used to in the style, and as such doesnt really line up well with what i expect in this style, although i acknowledge that there is a ton of room for variance in this one. notes of dried cherries and cranberries, figs and boozy raisins, the apple brandy really obvious here too. lots of lactic acidity rising up in the middle though seems to break it down a little prematurely, and its hot on the teeth and in the belly. i get through about half of it and dont really want the rest, its that sour, but of course i drink it anyhow. caramel and toffee and dark bread in the grain, some residual sugar, vanilla and oak, red wine and apple juice, its tasty, but its overly sour to me. not quite bubbly enough either, and with a very thin body. cool beer because its different and unexpected, i think the quality is high too, but its not their most compelling wild one i have had to date. steep on the price, but fun nevertheless.