Squarer Of Circles
Epochal Barrel Fermented Ales

L: a very pale, clear light yellow gold. At least two finger pure white head with impressive retention.

A: some grassy hop, lime citrus, very botanical. Some farmhouse yeast note.

T: herbal, a bitter brettanomyces, somewhat banyardbut it takes a backseat to the medicinal / herbal notes (like eating a dandelion at times?). Seltzer water, maybe subtle tonic. Grass. Light bread. You do taste the wood casking a bit as well.

F: light-medium, leaning light. Low alcohol content so it certainly “feels” more “watery” or like a seltzer, especially with its large carbonation.

O: interesting beer. Approachable but with a larger breadth of flavors compared to some other table beers. Personally, it leaned too into the lime/tonic notes but I will definitely be trying other epochal ales.

this is absolutely wonderful beer, my first form epochal but i will be on the hunt for more after this. it was spendy for something so low alcohol and frankly crushable, id be happy if they served it by the gallon, but the ferment is unique, the refinement is on point, and it was well worth the spend, a delightful little table beer, tackled from a slightly different approach, which i think is cool, and a grisette type lends itself so well to explorations of this kind. the sunniest blonde color in the glass, big soda-like bubbles and lots of them, an almost inch of impossibly delicate white head, air pockets like a proper sourdough loaf, and with pretty good clarity for what this is, visually appealing and even intriguing. its brewed with an ancient barley varietal called scotch common, which is what makes this special, its also well hopped for the style with some uk grown hops, and fermented with a range of wild players. the aroma on this is subtle sweet from the grain, an almost frosted cereal character, neat with the herbal hops, i get nettle, white tea, lilac, and gale or heather or something, could be the scotland thing playing mind tricks, but there is some terroir here for sure. light funk, no acid, definite brett in play, rustic but also insanely well refined. the flavor is way complex for a beer this little, the grain is most unique and i want more of it in other things already, i like that the beer presents as dry but that they leave enough sweetness to carry the essence of this special malt, its perfect. there is some pear and elderflower essence as almost a saison yeast ester, restrained but distinctive, before the funky brett kicks in, hayloft vibes, not musty or way funked out, but distinctively wild here, and drying the while way. the yeast is subtle, floral, old worldy, pastoral, unique with these hops, which oddly hit as fresh, meadow vibes, clover in spring, all just ever so slightly sweet. the carbonation is gorgeously excited, the bottle conditioning is sensational here, and overall this is masterful, an epic first impression for me from these guys, and it has me frothing for more. one of the more unique, dialed in, drinkable, and exciting beers in this style i can recall ever having, and i think it even inspirational, not something i would have expected to come from scotland, yet so decidedly from there at the same time, amazing. this is what beer like this should be, and i am thoroughly impressed. elite quality, super approachable, wow!

 

 

Scottish table beer, basically a small Brett grisette. Light bodied, maybe a little too seltzery, the Brett is very assertive and borderline medicinal. Super dry. Dry hopped with Scotch Common, Bramling Cross, and Cascade which come through with a dry botanical eucalyptus aroma and mild bitterness. Overall I like it.