Û Baccabianca
Ca' del Brado

 

 

 

this rules, i love nothing more than grape wild ale right now, and leave it to the italians to absolutely crush it. this is done with a white wine grape, aged in oak, really funky, subtle, nuanced, and amazing, my first from this operation. its golden in color, a little deeper maybe, light orange with some shine, very little head but i did not find this any less carbonated than ideal for the flavors, a little slower moving, but thats just fine with something this complex, i want to taste all of it, not be rushed on by the bubbles. the nose is woody, sharp, bretty, a touch oxidized, and really fruit forward, lots of depth to the grape side of this contrasting a relatively simple malt base that seems like mostly a pils type, bready and not too light, but well out of the way. i get hints of pear, green gooseberry, and lilac from the fruit, citrus too, tangy with the bacterial element in the ferment, it woody to earthy and musty and wet, not quite lambic, but not saison either, the grapes add a ton. i think the flavor is not quite as dramatic as the nose, less wild on the fermentation, still tart and bretty both, and distinct, but more understated. the malt rises up a little, there is some sweetness set against the fruit tannins and vinous sharpness, piquant but not overly acidic, oak forward with vanilla and honey layers to it, the skins of the grapes do a lot here, they dry this out, make my mouth water for more, and have an almost grittiness imparted. medium bodied, a little fuller than expected, weirdly complex, so distinct and different, now i am dying to try the red grape one they do. thankful to have been able to have this on tap, goed zuur rules!

Was one of my favorites from the festival. The dry white wine grapes just seemed like a star crossed lover of the brett and funky yeast elemetns of this beer. The feel is smooth and dry like a fine white wine. The taste and smell are twins both pushing the funky grape into the palate in a new and exciting way each sip. Just a wonderfully fun and satisfying beer

Ca' del Brado "Û Baccabianca"
37,5 cl brown glass bottle, corked & capped, "Da consumarsi preferibilmente entro 032023 18004"
13,00€ @ Johnny's Off License, Via Dei Balestrari 9, Roma, IT

Notes via stream of consciousness: Difficult cork to remove! It's poured a cloudy deep golden/amber body beneath a short head of white that almost immediately dropped to nothing, leaving not even a thin collar behind. The aroma is a little funky, mineralish, and a touch vinous. The flavor is even more so. It's tart but not too tart, it doesn't get into "sour" or "puckering" but the acidity is certainly clear! The grape is clear as well but comes across more like apple, and there's some oakiness to it. There's some straw, maybe even wet straw, or rope, and a touch of leather. I assume that's coming from Brettanomyces. It's a bit astringent but I think to a certain extent that has to be expected with a beer made from grapes, and I think, actually aged on the skins but I'm not sure of that. Yes, it is, it's right on the label... my translation: "Û baccabianca is an Italian Grape Ale with 10% organically grown Grechetto Gentile grapes destined for the Pignoletto wines of the Gradizzolo region. The must was allowed to spontaneously ferment with indigenous yeasts already on the grapes, as well as an inoculation of Brettanomyces Lambicus, and then aged for 6 months in barrels with the skins in maceration ." Well, that's interesting! And it seems to have paid off. It's funky but not too funky, vinous but not too vinous, and quite enchanting. At this point I only wish I'd also bought the version that they make from red grapes. So, this might not be for the uninitiated, but for those who enjoy Lambics and other sours, and even just unusual or "extreme" beers I'd say it's hard to pass up. It might not be the best, but it's certainly a great experience. Worth seeking out.
Review# 6,114