Gaia Hypothesis
Speciation Artisan Ales

Pours a semi-translucent ruby red. Minimal fizzy, short-lived head. My first whiff made me cough....not sure what that means, but maybe not the best sign. Close inspection reveals funky cherry and a mixture of other notes that aren't quite working. I think this beer has about 3 years on it...hoping it hasn't spoiled.

Thankfully the beer has held up. I think what I was getting on the nose was just loads of cherry, because that's certainly what I'm getting on the tongue. Funk, cherry and some other flavors that might be the peppercorns & thyme used, but I'm not sophisticated enough to know for sure. Fairly light bodied with medium carb.

Overall, solid brew. Probably better fresh, but I'm still enjoying it plenty.

 

 

Poured into a tulip glass. A hazy plum color with a faint pink head that quickly left. Aroma revealed rich cherries, thyme, earth, and faint pepper. Taste followed. medium tartness but not puckering. Bright cherry flavor along with thyme, lemon, and pepper on the finish. These flavors really popped. Dry finish. Really nice.

16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned in 10/2019. Pours very hazy dark ruby red/pink/purple color with a small fairly dense and fluffy light pink head with poor retention, that reduces to nothing pretty quickly. No lacing on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big sour/tart/tangy red cherries, fruit skin/pits, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, plum, pear, apricot, green apple, currant, red grape/wine, peppercorn, thyme, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread, lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of cherries, peppercorn, thyme, fruity/acidic yeast, and moderate pale/wheat malt notes; with big strength. Taste of big sour/tart/tangy red cherries, fruit skin/pits, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, plum, pear, apricot, green apple, currant, red grape/wine, peppercorn, thyme, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread, lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tart/sourness, fruit tang, and peppercorn spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of sour/tart/tangy red cherries, fruit skin/pits, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, plum, pear, apricot, green apple, currant, red grape/wine, peppercorn, thyme, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread, lacto funk, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of cherries, peppercorn, thyme, fruity/acidic yeast, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; with an awesome malt/tart/sourness, tangy fruit, and spiciness balance; with no puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Fairly crisp/clean finishing. Moderate increasing dryness from sour/tart/;tangy/spiciness and carbonation. Medium-plus carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/grainy, and acidic/tangy/tannic/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected. Overall this is an awesome fruited/spiced sour wheat ale. All around awesome cherries, peppercorn, thyme, fruity/acidic yeast, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth and fairly crisp/clean/refreshing to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/tannic/drying finish. Not overly lactic/tannic. Awesome balance of big juicy/jammy cherries, Lacto complexity, thyme, and peppercorn spice; with a great pale/wheat malt backbone against acidity for the ABV. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp dryness. A really enjoyable offering, and impressive style example as expected. Not overwhelming on any aspect.