Bière de Pieces #44
Afterthought Brewing Company

Last member bottle ever? Perhaps as I don't know if the Blended Barrel is continuing on. It's been a great run, and this one felt like the appropriate final bottle in my cellar (cellared a year), as it is complex, artistically beautiful and unique, all things I have admired about AT's craft. Murky yellow body with a full white head and rungs of lacing. Gin barrel and pine strike the nose right away, with mulled dull berries, kiwi, and flowers, some wild funk lingers with a hint of pickle. Taste is actually quite vibrant as the fruits are sprung to life, especially the raspberry, cherry and strawberry, though the funk and gin barrel clearly dominate the middle, some honeycomb, flowers, and sour citrus add layers near the end that just blossom on the palate. A very complex ale! Feel is sharp with some bitterness, barrel is soft, but omnipresent sourness and acidity are reserved.

Draft and bottle. Bright golden orange with ample foam. Complex botanicals in the aroma, juniper and eucalyptus, woody oak, grapefruit peel. Tart citrus, lime peel, hints of raspberry, juniper again, light bitterness, finishes dry. Seriously complex and very unique, it’s quite a nice blend.