March of Progress
Speciation Artisan Ales

 

 

 

This was a beautiful beer with a slightly hazy pinkish-orange color and a medium white head that possessed impressive staying power. The aroma was dominated by a smooth vanilla scent, with dried oak and tart rhubarb mixed in. Moderately tart on the palate, this was very easy to drink. Bright rhubarb and tart cherry notes were smoothed over by the vanilla. Oak was noticeable on the finish. There was a slight funk throughout which gave the beer a nice complexity. Medium bodied and carbonated. Overall this was outstanding and highly recommended.

Hazy burnt amber with a fuzzy but short off-white blanket.

Super woody with notes of cashew and nougat, it's also contrastingly tart with sour lemony rhubarb coming via a tingly fine carbonation that finishes semi-dry. There's a natural stream water sort of funk running in the background, as the vanilla only faintly blooms on the nose as it warms.

Beautiful, effervescent rose body.

There are some nice floral and fruity aroma notes, but the extreme funkiness has a “feet” quality that is tough to get by.

Fortunately the funk in the tongue is much mellower and appealing, with fantastic berry, citrus, floral, and grassy notes and a wonderful tart, puckering punch.

Nice prickly carbonation and soft body.

Another great one from Speciation. The rhubarb and vanilla play perfectly together, reminiscent of eating a pie. Deep, rich, beautifully warm. Buy this if you see it, worth the expense.

Had on tap. Didn't look like much of the poor, just another good sour golden ale with not much lacing. The smell is more monotoned, with sole focus on the banner flavors: sour oak, rhubarb and vanilla, very pleasant and strong, but not anything complex. The taste was so much more, not only did those flavors came off very intense, but they melted into the bath of acidic lemon, wheat, vinegar, apple, strawberry, and a delicate offering of funk as you work away down the glass and the beer warms up, of both the hay/horseblanket and the leathery wood variety. Great level of carbonation and smooth. One of the better golden sours in awhile

 

 

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, 2018 vintage bottling. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy pale golden yellow color with a 1-2 finger dense and fluffy white head with solid retention that reduces to a minimal spotty lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big tart/tangy rhubarb, strawberry, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, oak, hay, straw, grass, vanilla, wheat, cracker, and white bread; with light notes of pepper, leather/musty/lacto funk, white wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, rhubarb, vanilla, and moderate pale/wheat malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tart/tangy rhubarb, strawberry, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, oak, hay, straw, grass, vanilla, wheat, cracker, and white bread; with light notes of pepper, leather/musty/lacto funk, white wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tartness; light fruit tang, and yeast/oak spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/tangy rhubarb, strawberry, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, oak, hay, straw, grass, vanilla, wheat, cracker, white bread, light pepper/funk/vinegar and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Amazing complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, rhubarb, vanilla, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; with an awesome malt/tartness and tangy rhubarb balance; with no puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from tartness, tangy rhubarb, and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately crisp, silky/grainy/acidic, and lightly tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Zero warming alcohol for 6%. Overall this is an amazing flavored sour/wild ale! All around incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic yeast, rhubarb, vanilla, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, and refreshing to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/tannic/drying finish, not overly lactic. Amazingly well rounded Brett/Bacteria complexity; with balanced lightly jammy rhubarb, vanilla, oak foeder presence; and pale/wheat malts against acidity. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing style example as expected. Liked this more than the Rhubarb/Vanilla Incipient. Some additional sweetness, along with added oak foeder complexity.

A - Pours a cloudy gold with a large fizzy white head. The head fades quickly leaving no lacing.

S - Aroma is rhubarb, vanilla and oak.

T - The taste is rhubarb, green apple, lemon, oak and vanilla.

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

O - Another winner from Speciation. The vanilla helps cut the bitterness of the rhubarb.

Appearance - Pours gorgeous light cloudy yellow with a thin white bubbly head that dissipates to a thin ring. No lacing.

Aroma - Very mild fruit, oak, little but of vanilla. Not really getting much rhubarb getting hints of funk with a little lime.

Taste - Wow nice mild barrel notes, vanilla seems to take the edge off some of the sourness initially but it powers through at the end. I assume some of the tartness comes from the rhubarb based on what I have read but that vanilla just adds another level to the flavors.

Feel - Very complex feel, initially I think the vanilla gives it a smoothness but the tartness quickly provides a nice dry finish.

Overall - Super impressed with this beer, very mild delicate aromas but great powerful flavors.