Oaken Orchard
Barrel + Beam

 

375 ml bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. A bit of a gusher, but not bad. Pours slightly hazy deep golden/orange/amber/light copper color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy off white head with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big tart/sour red/green apples, fruit skin, lemon, lime, orange, peach, plum, pear, apricot, cherry, melon, white grape/wine, oak, peppercorn, hay, straw, grass, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted biscuit; with lighter notes of oaken vanilla, leathery/musty/lacto funk, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of apples, fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, oak barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tart/sour red/green apples, fruit skin, lemon, lime, orange, peach, plum, pear, apricot, cherry, melon, white grape/wine, oak, peppercorn, hay, straw, grass, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted biscuit; with lighter notes of oaken vanilla, leathery/musty/lacto funk, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate peppery Brett/oak tannin spiciness, fruity/lactic tartness, and fruit tang on the finish. Lingering notes of red/green apples, fruit skin, lemon, lime, orange, peach, plum, pear, apricot, cherry, melon, white grape/wine, oak, peppercorn, hay, straw, grass, caramel, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, light vanilla/funk, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of apples, fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, oak barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; with a fantastic malt/tartness, tangy fruit, and yeast/oak spiciness balance; with zero puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Fairly crisp/clean finishing. Moderate increasing dryness from lingering yeast/oak spiciness, tartness, tangy fruit, and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, and acidic/tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Zero warming alcohol for 7.1%. Overall this is an outstanding fruited sour/wild ale! All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of apples, fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, oak barrels, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink with the modestly acidic/tannic/spicy/drying finish; not overly lactic. Fantastic balance of juicy apples and Brett/Bacteria complexity; with great oak presence, and dark/bready malts against acidity. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstanding style example as expected.