Desert Solitaire
Springdale Beer Co.

It has been quite some time since I’ve had any of these Springdale Wild Ales, so I’m excited to jump back in with this one. This has been sitting at my local store for a while now and I decided to splurge when they put it on clearance. Let’s crack it open and find out what it’s a about

Pours a cloudy yellow gold with 2 fingers of white head that quickly fades to nothing and leaves no lacing

The nose here is quite gentle, mostly fruity with a light funky acidity. I’m picking up on aromas of tart white grape, buttery oak, peach pit, wet hay, peppercorn, lemon zest, straw, and wheat bread

It’s a bit sharper in taste, still not super funky but the bite is appreciated. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting lemon juice, apricot, tannic white wine, earthy wheat, wet hay, leather, and peach pit. The swallow brings notes of peppercorn, sharp oak, peach pit, tart white grape, earthy wheat, lemon juice, and light rye bread

A light medium body pairs with aggressive carbonation, resulting in a sharp and tart beer. Finishes sticky and coats the mouth, which is quite unfortunate as this could easily be sharp and refreshing

Despite the odd appearance and the abrasive stickiness of the mouthfeel, this is pretty solid overall

Smell: promises of stonefruit, maybe a little leather and old books.

Look: Pretty, translucent warm goldenrod. Not much head or lacing.

Taste: yay, just what I hoped! Light and refreshing, but decently complex. Of course the tartness and the oak bring Chardonnay to mind. I'm getting some melon, apricot. Something a little briney. Something a little buttery (again with the Chardonnay!) A touch of black pepper and toffee in the aftertaste. A tiny bit of cumin even.

Feel: Light and sprightly. A little slippery. Barely carbonated.

Overall: I'm so glad I tried this! I didn't realize how much I was missing this family of beers.

Edit: seeing as how the previous review of this one is from four years ago, I suspect this bottle has been sitting on the shelf for A While.

 

 

L: Golden yellow, mild turbidity, almost no head retention, when coaxed head is very transient. Very nice looking in a tulip
S: Really just very warm and inviting aroma. Definitely tart notes, I don't get citrus as much on the nose, more like wine. Perhaps a nice balasamic vinegar. Hints of spice like peppercorn and corriander. Candied fruit in the back, sugary and sweet. I also can't help but notice hints of clean smoke but that's probably just the wood, smoke is just what comes to mind
T: An interesting sort of savory/sour up front. Certainly wine like, I like it (and I don't like wine, weird). Spice like pepper, certainly the oak. Reminds me of a nice Speyside. As the beer warms the oak comes out stronger, astringent and slightly tannic but I like that as well, really nice character that smooths out the tart bite. This really hits home for me. Grassy and floral notes present as well.
F: Pretty easy drink. Smooth might not be the right word. Very crisp (very high carbonation level) and light, however. Acids really coat the mouth, flavors linger. Could be easy to toss back but flavors keep it in check and instead encourage you to sip.
O: Personally I'm quite impressed with this. I really like the flavors this beer presents. The wood (oak) is a little raw and makes its presence known, but I like that about it, it really lends itself to the beer. Everything is really balanced well, its not funky or too sour and ridiculous. Gonna stash away a few of these.

 

 

 

Pours cloudy deep gold with a fleeting soapy head.

Could smell this beer as soon as the crown came off. Initial impression was it is massively fruity, but it is more than that. Very mild funk, pretty assertive acid smell that seems both lactic and acetic. Grape and wine, mild lemon citrus, green apple, the missus says kiwi and I can go there. Or bubblegum...just a bit.

The taste is actually balanced nicely even with more flavors than I can probably unravel. Definitely sour, but not wrecking the tooth enamel. Nice contribution of earthy funk, and underneath a counterbalance of sweetness. Definite lemon, absolutely wine-like, smooth contribution from the oak. Virtually no bitterness to speak of.

Light feeling beer, bright carbonation, slightly dry.

Overall, I could drink this like lemonade on a hot day. Glad I got a couple of these. Nice beer - give it a try if you've dipped a toe in the pool of sour beers. Well beyond an introductory sour, but not at the extreme.

Pours a light fizzy head that fades quickly, hazy pale blond color

Nose brings some sourness, lactic and maybe acetic acid, fair amount of acidity, a little funk, actually a fair amount of funk, a bit of buttery oak but barely and a little vinous note, mild lemony citrus, pretty muted

Taste starts quite sour, tart fruity lemony a bit of funk but not a ton, more acidity, bright acidity, acetic acid, touch of golden sour malt, little vinous note again, and also just a touch of buttery oak, increasing a bit more as it warms, little flemmy note on the back end, bit more fruity and getting a little apple, drier, lingering tartness fruit apple lemon, acidity

Mouth is lighter bod, decent fluffy carb, fair acidity just a bit flemmy on the finish

Overall not bad, a bit light in many parts but still a nice sour.

 

 

 

 

 

How a good sour should taste! Perfect example and quite a delectable one step that!