Every Red Heart Shines Towards The Red Sun
Elder Pine Brewing & Blending Co.

 

 

 

A dark mahogany with a scant head that fairly quickly decides the beer should look still. The nose needs warmth to coax it out, but gives up some weak coffee back by a little cacao-based chocolate on the deep end and some raisin and berry-heavy tannic red wine. The feel has a little stickiness to it, and it starts a little thin, but blossoms into a medium leaning full body before it's done (the barrel notes seem to fill it out, somehow).

Initially I was thinking the doppelbock notes were missing from this beer. But like the nose took a little warmth to develop, so did the mix of breakfast bread with raisin and dates, light roasted coffee, and a bit of earthiness I get from the taste. I liked the flavors from the first sip, I just wasn't sure they fit in the style, initially. The foeder influence is noticeable (a dry ,lightly woody ending), but accompanying.

One of those cases where even if all the buttons weren't pushed, the right ones on me were pushed for enjoyment.