Pleiotropy
Speciation Artisan Ales

 

 

 

 

6500th review! 750 ml bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours fairly clear very dark reddish brown color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big nutty medium roast coffee, tart black cherry, berry, lemon, orange, raisin, plum, fig, apricot, green apple, red grape/wine, oak, hay, straw, grass, toasted dark/brown bread, chocolate, cocoa, and brown sugar; with lighter notes of pepper, oaken vanilla, leathery/musty funk, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, coffee, oak barrel, and dark/roast/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big nutty medium roast coffee, tart black cherry, berry, lemon, orange, raisin, plum, fig, apricot, green apple, red grape/wine, oak, hay, straw, grass, toasted dark/brown bread, chocolate, cocoa, and brown sugar; with lighter notes of pepper, oaken vanilla, leathery/musty funk, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate lactic tartness, yeast/oak spiciness, and mild roasted coffee bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of nutty coffee, tart black cherry, berry, lemon, orange, raisin, plum, fig, apricot, green apple, red grape/wine, oak, hay, straw, grass, toasted dark/brown bread, chocolate, cocoa, brown sugar, light vanilla/funk, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, coffee, oak barrel, and dark/roast/bready malt flavors; with an awesome malt/tartness balance; and zero puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from tartness, yeast/oak spiciness, and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, fairly acidic, and light tannic/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 8%. Overall this is an awesome experimental dark sour/wild ale. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, coffee, oak barrel, and dark/roast/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mellowly acidic/tannic/drying finish, not overly lactic. Outstanding balance between fruity/nutty coffee, Brett/Lacto complexity, and dark/roast/bready malts; with nice oak barrel presence. A really enjoyable offering, and well executed style example as expected.