Collins Family (2020)
Floodland Brewing

 

 

 

Excellent. Light pink body, like a rosé. Bright stonefruit flesh without much of the tartness. The pluots shine here. Mild leathery funk and restrained acetic acidity. Good fruit quotient in perfect balance. Medium lighter body, good carb. Refreshing.

a splendid introduction to this brewery that i was unfamiliar with until now. this is a funky spelt based saison done with twelve different kinds of plums and pluots, pretty ambitious. its hazy and soft pinkish orange in the glass, the head is frothy and taller than an inch, pure white and lasting, this looks lovely. it smells just as good, tangy almost vinous from the skins of the plums, sweet from their flesh, very natural and identifiable, but also not forced, allowed to ferment down quite a ways, this isnt packed with fruit sugar or anything, some serious brett to this, a little tang too, but not real sour it doesnt seem, nuanced as they come, even some elderflower and a botanical element, impressive. the flavor follows the nose, fruit forward but everything in balance, i get some earthy spiciness in the grain base, some neat almost vinous esters from the yeast, a lot of rustic funkiness, and a drying tendency even though the fruit, its perfectly balanced, delicate and springy, seems meant for the easter table or something, and the overall quality here is amazing. the fruit drifts from white currant to pinot noir to red apple and rainier cherry, amazing what all these plum types produce in here, and its cool what they were able to achieve by blending them all together, unconventional and awesome. i love the fermentation profile too, and on the whole this was massively delicious. these guys are certainly on my radar now. this is among the best plum beers ive ever tasted.