Hesperus
Epochal Barrel Fermented Ales

 

Copenhagen 14/6 2025. 75 cl bottle for A Good Case web-shop. Dark blue version of Epochal's usual pretty simple label design.

Pours unclear golden amber with a mid-sized white head. A bit bubbly. Settles as a thin and patchy layer of foam unable of covering the surface of the beer. No lacing to speak of.

Aroma is fairly intense with a sweet odor of apricot and mirabelles soon overpowered by a scent of vinegar and unripe fruit. Gooseberries and vinegar. A little sharp. Whiff of rubber.

Light carbonation. Thin oily, soft, yet lightly tingling texture.

Flavor is fairly intense with a light sweetness followed by a strong tart, sourness. Aftertaste is sour and tart. Lingers for a bit. Finish is dry.

Fine dry and austere brew.

This stuff pours a gorgeous gold color, with tons of depth through the slight haze. Despite the short lived but pleasant head and the minimal lacing it would immediately make me wonder what that mystery beverage was if spotted in the wild, and would inspire me to want to find out what it was and probably order one, even though I'm averse to hazy IPAs and the like.
The aroma is tart and straw-like, phenolic and sharp yet bready. This barrel fermented stock ale tastes at first sour and then quickly transitions to a complex yeast/grain funk celebratory dance, including hopping around of course. The zing at first is almost like a green plum, but only to maybe a six out of ten, not like a lambic level at all. The mouthfeel is slick and stops JUST SHORT of buttery, which is kind of perfect. Could be even reminiscent of culinary seaweed. There's a hint of salinity and white pepper or grains of paradise as well, maybe suggestive of coriander even. This is all a lovely adventure of flavor which I wish I could more accurately describe, perhaps there are better words in Gaelic than English? Would certainly recommend anyone interested to track down a bottle if you can, to experience first hand. Glad they produced this one.