All the Best Hats
Small Pony Barrel Works

1827
Brewery: Small Pony Barrel Works
Style: Wild Ale
ABV: 5.3
Date: Unknown

I think this my last Canadian beer to consume. The beer says Golden sour with Haskap berries. Now I asked myself what is a haskap berry, apparently is a berry with a range of flavors from different berries. Using a tulip glass, I served the beer at 48 degrees. The pour created a frothy and airy light pink head with zero retention. The dissipation was fast and left no lacing on the glass. The color is akin to dark cherry syrup with a light maroon hue. The appearance overall is average for this style.
Nosing the glass, I detect Brett, funky barn yard, strawberries, blueberries, a hint of cranberries, light fruity sweetness, and lightly toasted malts. Smelling the beer several more times I sour lemons, oak, earthiness (unsure what but it has this deep earthy notes) hints of floral esters, and a touch of herbal.
This is a bretted beer. The flavors are berries (unsure which kind), horse blanket, barnyard funk, earthy straw, oak, floral, slight fruity sweetness, floral esters, and a touch of grass.
The mouthfeel is puckering and dry. The body of the beer is light, heavy effervescent, and a pleasant lingering finish.
In the last sour I consume I was wanting that touch of sweetness, I got here. This beer needed it to balance out the bright mouth puckering wild ale. The fruit the star of the show with the lightly toasted malts holding the backbone firm. Tasty beer, wish this was on a cool summer night and not a chilly winter day.

375 mL bottle from the LCBO; dated Jan 14 2022, listed at 5.3% and served slightly chilled.

Pours a deep purplish-fuchsia colour, kicking up half a finger of bubbly, light purple head that fades within a minute or two. A sudsy collar remains in place long afterwards, with some lace deposition as the level drops - that last visual detail is the only real giveaway that this isn't a glass of red wine. Lots of oak on the nose, which is moderately funky and rather vinous; I'm getting blueberry, red grapes/wine and a touch of raspberry, with hints of leather and blackcurrant.

Fruity at first, relentlessly sour after - starting off, the haskap mimics flavours such as blueberry, raspberry and blackcurrant with convincing accuracy, particularly the first two. The oak and 'sour' are there too, building up towards mid-sip, which is where the pucker really peaks with raspberry tartness, wine vinegar and lemon juice sourness. Hints of leathery Brett funk at the finish, with oak and cranberry skin tannins lending some astringency to the fruity, tart aftertaste. Medium-light in body, with low-ish carbonation that softly tickles the tongue, giving it a smooth, plush mouthfeel. Low drinkability - I mean, sure it's tasty, but even this modest serving is more than enough for me.

Final Grade: 3.98, a high B+. All the Best Hats is probably one of the sourest beers I've ever had - the first sip I honestly didn't get much else, other than the oak, but my taste buds adapted after a few swigs and all was well again. The berry flavours are delightful, and the Brett funk is nuanced - it's enjoyable to sip, but only in small doses because the acidity is just fierce. I'd buy another bottle and save it for when I'm in the mood: the label says this 'ages gracefully', so I suspect you could stow it away in the cellar for a few years if you're so inclined.

Tastes like tart grape juice No wine but real fruity. Patio stuff. Bit sweet for the style of a wild (sour). Still will miss another wild ale brewer disapearing.

375 ml bottle served cool into a chalice. LCBO purchase for $7.50 CDN. 2022 Vintage. Listed at 5.3% ABV.

Appearance- a Shocking red wine colored brew. Dark, ominous and capped with a half finger of loose pink-purple fizzy head that dissipates within a minute.

Smell - very subdued nose, some dark berries and currants. Slight hint of honey sweetness at the back end.

Taste - Assertively sour beer. Berries and currants again, a touch of oak and overriding sourness to the end.

Mouthfeel - Medium-thin body, carbonation is light, but prickly nature of the brew gives extra depth to the feel. Moderate finish that while dry, has a juicy feel just prior to close.

Overall - A different type of sur, but pretty well put together. It's a little one dimensional with the overwhelming sourness at times and the nose is minor, but nonetheless worth a tipple if you like your sour beers.