Meiotic Drive
Speciation Artisan Ales

2019 vintage, a really special elderberry wild ale here, shared generously by our homies who retrieved it from michigan over the summer and saved it until now, legends! shocked by the density and color saturation of this when we pop the cork and pour it, blood red and with similar viscosity, no head at all, no carbonation, perhaps intentionally still, which i never love in this sort of thing, especially on this sour, but it kind of presents itself to me as a health tonic, all the astringency and intensity of the elderberry, very natural, not sweetened or balanced out by other berries and fruits as is so common in beers that use them, and i appreciate that, a true expression of the elderberry, as good as any beer i have known in that regard. it smells really piquant, clean but shockingly acidic, without as much wild and funky yeast characters as i sort of expected from them, not one dimensional, but not dynamic either on the ferment, perhaps went a little extra sour in the bottle over time, sure seems that way, its bracing, not for everyone. the flavor has hints of rhubarb and cranberry and dries the palate in the same way on each sip, palate coating and mineral rich, oaky, and without a whole lot of the grain, really its all berries and body and acid, glad to be sharing the bottle several ways, thats for sure. as intense as it is, i like it a lot, the fruit is natural and robust and while it sits funny in the belly, it tastes really good. in the end i think i was hoping for more funk, more wild elements, but its hard to complain. a rare treat, stoked to have been able to drink a number of speciation beers in a row. some in our group thought this was the best of the lot, for me a little sour than it needs to be, but radically unique in the category even still, and a killer use of the elderberries. not a beer i will soon forget!

 

 

 

Bottle: Poured a dark golden color ale with light haze with a medium size head. Aroma of tart notes with light oak and berry notes with some funky ester. Taste is a mix of funky Brett notes with some tart notes and light berry with some oak notes also noticeable. Body is about average with good carbonation. Enjoyable sour with good level of complexity.

5/18/2018

Pours a slightly cloudy cranberry red with a pink head that quickly disappeared.
Smells of tart lemon, berries, light funk.
Taste is of mixed berries, raspberry and cranberry seem to be the most prominent. Tart lemon also present. Some mild earthy funk.
Light to medium body. Tart, dry finish with a good puckering quality.
Overall a great sour, my first from Speciation and it won't be my last.

Bring on the elderberries. Just looking at the pour in my glass say Big flavor Big sour Has a large sweet flavor Big but not too too big

 

A - Pours a nice deep ruby red with a large fizzy pink head. The head recedes quickly leaving some very light lacing

S - Aroma is raspberries, craneberries, blackberry and green apple.

T - The taste is raspberries, blackberry, cranberries, unripe strawberries, green apple skin, red wine vinegar, leather and some funky yeastiness.

M - Medium/light body with medium carbonation. Soft mouthfeel with a crisp dry finish.

O - Super solid beer. The flavor are tart and refreshing. Nice mix of unripe berries and funky earthiness.

Cork&caged 750ml bottle poured into stemmed vino

This is my first from these guys, and I have to say that I’m impressed. Cranberry juice color, but this isn’t crystal clear. Bright pink foam sizzles away quickly. Nose is wet hay, muddled mixed berries, and lemon juice. Taste starts with a mild tart cranberry and unripened strawberries, but opens up into more of a sweet grape. Finishes with a touch of dryness. The feel is light and soft like a nice champagne. Really great first impression of speciation. I will be tracking down others in the warmer months.

Shimmering, clear vibrant ruby red with a minimal, fuzzy pink collar.

The smell of this is almost dead on fruit punch, straight up.

Taste is pineapple, lime and cherry sour with a raspberry gummy aftertaste.

The feel is thinner than the Hopeful Monster I had before it, but still soft yet crisp with a dry finish.

A great sour. Pours a nice red with good amount of head. Smells great - tart and funky. Taste is tart and funky with a little sweetness. My only complaint is I would prefer a little more earthy, woodsiness but the tartness is welcome too.

 

 

 

 

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, 2018 vintage bottling. Pours slightly hazy deep ruby red, light orange/purple color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense pink head with good retention, that reduces to a thin spotty lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big juicy/tart/tangy blackberry, raspberry, cranberry, plum, apricot, currant, lemon, lime, green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, pepper, oak, wheat, and bread; with light notes of oaken vanilla, leathery/musty funk, red wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, elderberries, oak, and pale/wheat malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big juicy/tart/tangy blackberry, raspberry, cranberry, plum, apricot, currant, lemon, lime, green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, pepper, oak, wheat, and bread; with light notes of oaken vanilla, leathery/musty funk, red wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tart/sourness, fruit tang, and yeast/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/sour berries, plum, apricot, currant, lemon, lime, green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, pepper, oak, wheat, bread, light funk/vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, elderberries, oak, and pale/wheat malt flavors; with a nice malt/tart/sourness and yeast/oak spiciness balance. Lightly increasing pucker through the glass, but not overwhelming. Light-moderate increasing dryness from sourness and tart/tangy fruit. Medium carbonation and body; with a smooth and moderately bready/grainy/acidic/tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 7.2%. Overall this is a fantastic fruit sour ale! All around outstanding complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, elderberries, oak, and pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink, despite the increasingly acidic/tannic/drying finish. Super jammy elderberries with great balanced fruity/funky Brett/Lacto complexity; balancing malts and nice oak foeder presence. A highly enjoyable offering as expected.