Berry Yourself Alive
Magnanimous Brewing

The contents emptied from a pint can into a clear glass liter mug brought forth a color richly dark violet, perhaps purple. The pour produced a head lightly tinted by the brew's color. It seems to be sustaining. The aroma is berry and with something woody, but not necessarily like tannins. It's more earthy and it adds a nice complexity. To taste, this certainly isn't sour and its tartness is at a very enjoyable level. Simply, this is a very pleasant berry ale to have. It's fully berry infused, yet not too sweet, even though it isn't sour and is only moderately tart. Most beer drinkers should find this tastefully refreshing, even if they don't like sours. No glass lacing to be observed and none was expected considering the style. Yet, the mouthfeel is spot on for this category. With its full flavor, a mouthfeel that's light, smooth and supple and just enough sourness to get a delightful pucker during the finish, this has to be considered among the best of its kind.

 

Who says that sour ale is a warm weather or summer time beer? Magnanimous begs to differ with their dark berry sour that pushes the strength to imperial status.

Ominously dark with crimson, rust and dark lavender impressions, Berry Yourself Alive nearly looks like a frothy, hazy red wine. A sharp and acidic scent of red wine, cider, citrus and acetone tightens the jaws and induces mouth watering responses with a simple whiff of the dark and macerated fruits. A light jammy sweetness soon simmers to a juicy flavor of tart berry cobbler, taffy and fructose as the flavors get started.

The middle palate then shines with blueberry, blackberry and raspberry with a robust, vivid and juicy taste that splashes against the middle palate. Without backing down, the striking acidity breaks apart the malt and fruit, shining with the piquant sourness of lime, crabapple, gooseberry, red grape, lemon, white grapefruit and vinous wine-like qualities. Finishing brisk and with a twinge of sherry and balsamic, the session concludes complex and refreshing.

Full bodied for sour ale, the beer's surprising transition from a plush early fruity sweetness to a dry winey finish is quite remarkable. Its a characterful, squirrelly and slightly funky taste as it closes with a mossy, damp burlap aftertaste.