Papaver
Brewery Bhavana

Clear, light copper with amber highlights (SRM 11-13). Random, lazy carbonation seems to fill the glass. A brief, thin head was almond and creamy; for the nano seconds it lasted. No lace forms on an flute glass. In my opinion, this looks more like an Ould Bruin.

The aroma is quite sour and strong with Brettanomyces. This is very complex, with fruit similar to Juicy Fruit gum. Oak is prominent with vanilla and black cherry. Warmth brings vinegar, walnuts, and plums.

The flavor is appropriately sour and acidic. The tartness of sour cherries and plum skins is very evident. Oak is strong, giving it an earthy quality. A long, mouthwatering, tart finish is highly fruity.

A medium body and nylon texture. Alcohol is well above expectations, while carbonation is spot on in this rather dry beer.

Tartness is so high that it is difficult to consume more than one sip at a time. This quality helps one to savor the beer and provides ample points of discussion with friends. (Bottled 2018)

 

 

A: Pours a hazy, almost murky medium to dark brownish red in color with moderate amounts of fine active visible carbonation rising quickly along the edges of the glass and moderate ruby red + burnt orange + mahogany colored highlights. The beer has a finger tall dense fizzy foamy tan head that reduces to a large patch of thin film covering the entire surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Slightly stronger than moderate aromas of dark fruit (cherry, red currants, and plums) over the top of slightly bready + caramel malts with light amounts of caramel sweetness. There is a moderate amount of red wine vinousness and some lighter aromas of oak + vinegar.

T: Upfront there are moderate flavors of slightly bready + caramel malts with light amounts of caramel sweetness. That is followed by moderate to strong flavors of dark fruit (cherry, red currants, and plums), oak, vinegar, and red wine vinousness with a light amount of vanilla. Light to moderate amounts of tartness linger well through the finish.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Soft, almost fluffy mid-body with a light amount of dryness and light to moderate amount of acidic prickliness in the finish.

O: Very enjoyable and easy to drink with well hidden alcohol. Pleasantly complex and enjoyable - the barrel again aspects of this beer really complement the base flavor and were obviously allowed to slowly come through in the beer making process.

A: The beer is hazy red in color and has some brownish hues along with a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high light beige head.
S: Light to moderate aromas of cherries and oaky vanilla are preset in the nose.
T: The taste follows the smell and has flavors of cherries and vanilla along with notes of other dark fruits such as plums and faint hints of vinegar.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and a little tart on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The taste of this beer is quite complex, which makes this an interesting Flanders Rad Ale to slowly sip and savor.

Serving type: bottle

 

 

the intensity of flavors and level of refinement here is next level, especially in a style that tastes like vinegar more often than not for me and rarely inspires much stoke, and extra cool from a brewery who has underwhelmed until now, this is a near textbook example of the style. its deep crimson in color, with some shine and a nice head from the tap, it looks pretty and regal in the glass. aroma here is heavy red wine, fruity red wine or raspberry vinegar, a little sweet, and heavily oaky, wow this must have been allowed to rest awhile! huge oak on the flavor too, red wine for sure, napa type, heavy and earthy with all the dark fruits, but also almost concentrated like a nutty port wine, its delicious as well as complex, and there is elderberry tang, blackberry sweet, and blueberry tart all present. some malty sweetness here, baked and caramely, the right amount of richness for this and no more, even almost dry by the finish, but extended long by all the wood on it. soft nuances of campfire smoke, prune, and toast. acidity is middle of the spectrum but seems right against all this body. a lovely and professional take on a flanders red, and one of the better beers i have had from these guys!