With the Currant
Barrel + Beam

 

Poured into a tulip. A hazy purple-brown color with a very thick and long-lasting tan head. The aroma and taste lined up nicely, with rich currant notes, a huge oak barrel presence, and complex malt presence. There was a nice mix of subtle toast, chocolate, coffee, and earthy notes that complimented the fruit very well. Mild-to-moderate tartness and a pleasing funkiness. Clean, dry finish. Fantastic.

 

375 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled in 6/2019. Pours lightly hazy deep ruby red/purple/copper/brown color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky light pink head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big sour/tart/tangy blackcurrants, fruit skin/seeds, raspberry, lemon, lime, peach, plum, prune, fig, date, pear, apricot, red/green apple, red grape/wine, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted bread; with light notes of peppercorn, roast, leathery/musty/lacto funk, red wine vinegar, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of blackcurrants, fruity/funky/acidic yeast, dark/bready malts, and oak barrel notes; with big strength. Taste of huge sour/tart/tangy blackcurrants, fruit skin/seeds, raspberry, lemon, lime, peach, plum, prune, fig, date, pear, apricot, red/green apple, red grape/wine, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted bread; with light notes of peppercorn, roast, leathery/musty/lacto funk, red wine vinegar, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tartness, fruit tang; light yeast/oak tannin spiciness, and lingering sourness on the finish. Lingering notes of sour/tart/tangy blackcurrants, fruit skin/seeds, raspberry, lemon, lime, peach, plum, prune, fig, date, pear, apricot, red/green apple, red grape/wine, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, caramel, brown sugar, toasted bread, light leather/funk/vinegar, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of blackcurrants, fruity/funky/acidic yeast, dark/bready malts, and oak barrel flavors; with a fantastic malt/tart/sourness and tangy fruit balance; with zero puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering tart/sourness and tangy fruit. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy/acidic/tangy, and lightly tannic balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Minimal warming alcohol for 7.9%. Overall this is a fantastic fruited sour/wild ale. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of blackcurrants, fruity/funky/acidic yeast, dark/bready malts, and oak barrel flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/tannic/drying finish; nicely soft and not overly lactic. Fantastic balance of super juicy/jammy blackcurrants and Brett/Bacteria complexity; with nice oak presence and good sized malt backbone against acidity. Light residual sweetness with lingering dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing style example as expected.