Sybarite
Pretentious Barrel House

 

Putting an American twist on the flander's red style lands the Pretentious Beer House at the intersection of tradition and haphazard. A slumber in both red wind and white wine allows the red ale to take a strong vinous tone.

Dark rose and cast in a yeasty haze, Sybarite brings a racy and sprite sparkle to the senses. Tangy, earthy and citrusy, the nose is rife with funky freshness, dried woods and wine. Light sweetness carries a dry tone even early, leaving a trickle of taffy, sourdough and hard candy to a quick introduction.

As the sweetness dissolves on the tongue, the middle palate ushers in a brazen sourness that's delicate with balsamic, cider and rosé wine. Grapefruit, orange peel and lime frame a strong citrus taste that commands the sense of taste. Weathered fruits of grape, gooseberry, cranberry and redcurrant come with a tightening of taste that leaves the late palate showered in a nutty woodsiness of driftwood, damp burlap and vanilla spice.

A light grapefruit bitterness comes with a spicy yeast balance to ensure that the light bodied beer, medium for sour ale, wins over the senses with a highly drinkable sense of dryness, refreshment and thirst stripping sourness. A brief aftertaste carries a warmth of curacao liquor and a return of sourdough and attic-like woods in its wake.