Pedro
Fair Isle Brewing

batch one, huge thanks to my boy for sharing a bottle of this, really nice beer, one i dont think i was familiar with, a rather true to form flanders, but with the fair isle vibe to it where its also kind of a tart red saison rather than a runaway bacterial thing, these folks have a way of making things delicate and distinctive, and its always a joy to drink their stuff. this spends years in oak, and its maturity is evident, very complex beer that rewards the patient drinker. burgundy hue, fizzy and with a rising tan head settling back a a thinner layer of airy foam, good clarity through most of it, looks somewhat light as these go. the aroma is mouthwatering and seems like its going to be pretty sour, a hint of that acetic thing but not quite vinegar, notes of red wine and raisin and fig and date and old wood, its musty but also estery, mineral forward and with some light green glass character, white and black peppercorn, toffee and maple but drier than most of these, less red berry than some but still winey, really unique. the flavor is crazy because it never gets as sour as it smells like it will, or as most of these do, and i like its understated approach. the oak aspect is bold, its a significant flavor contributor to this, bigtime leather and pipe tobacco here, vanilla without being rich, port wine, some almost walnut character, cedar, rustic bread, belgian yeast complexities, maybe a hint of clove there giving it a deep autumn vibe perfect for this time of year. rushing carbonation is really uplifting, and this does a lot on the palate, at times like a biere de garde, or even biere de mars, the interplay of bacteria and other fermenting elements is amazing, and it seems crazy how its not all that tart. love all the oak, the earthiness, and the overall quality, which is always high with fair isle. an impressive specimen and a great way to wrap up a tough week with the crew. loved this! a top domestic example of the style for my money...