Brute
Ithaca Beer Company

BruteBrute
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From:
Ithaca Beer Company
 
New York, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
98
Avg:
4.43 | pDev: 9.03%
Reviews:
392
Ratings:
846
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 25, 2022
Added:
Jun 22, 2008
Wants:
  1,055
Gots:
  134
Brewed with vintage (aged) local hops, barley, wheat, corn, aged in oak with Brett and finished with three types of champagne yeast.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by FosterJM:
Photo of FosterJM
Reviewed by FosterJM from California

4.48/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
1367th Review on BA
Bottle to Ithaca Excelsior! Tulip
750ml Cap/Cork

Batch E!037

Thanks to Mjtiernan for this one

App- When the cork pops a little bit of a champagne fizz came out. Expected yes! The color of a ripe peach with a good mix of oranges/yellows and golds in the glass. A good density for a sour. Nice coloring. Giant head that was quick to gizz with a nice pond layer of bubbles.

Smell- Just a ton going on in this sour. Amazingly straightfoward but utterly complex. I think the BA below said it best, "Can you smell fizzy?" This was fizzy, brett, citrus, funk and sour. Not overly done either way and close to amazing.

Taste- This was one hell of a sour. Most people wont give credit to the champagne yeast but really adds a wonderful depth of character with the brett bringing a stinging barnyard, funk and earthiness to it. The sour is crisp and biting and a wonderful amount of citrus ties it all together.

Mouth- While a tad thick for such a bubbly sour I found it worthwhile none the less. So bubbly with a light medium body while shouldve been a little lighter. A very high carbonation keeps everything prickly and nicely balanced. Nice residual Brett and funk.

Drink- Huge thanks to Matt for the trade and was glad to drink while my boy who is all of two days old slept next to me in his rocker. Would loe another bottle of this one.
Jun 25, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.25 by rodmanfor3 from Vermont

Jan 25, 2022
 
Rated: 4.39 by rab53 from Washington

Dec 13, 2021
 
Rated: 4.78 by swanfungus from California

Jan 14, 2019
 
Rated: 3.92 by vfgccp from New York

May 29, 2017
 
Rated: 4.18 by cp45 from New Jersey

Jan 01, 2017
 
Rated: 4.24 by logicalparadox from New York

Dec 06, 2016
Photo of PHBoiler
Reviewed by PHBoiler from Illinois

5/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This is an incredibly complex beer. There's a big carbonic bite that adds to the dry finish. The Brett is so clean and restrained but flavorful. Lots of lemon/lime and hints of grapefruit. Right up there is the best lambic in terms of clean acidity and bright flavors.
Nov 10, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by Sweffin from Wisconsin

Aug 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4.24 by xtonytx from Connecticut

May 07, 2016
 
Rated: 4.44 by AMCimpi from New York

May 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4.21 by zekeman17 from Pennsylvania

Feb 14, 2016
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

4.37/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Awesome almost wine like champagne-ish appearance, dark gold, solid 1" white head on it. Aroma was a white wine lemon excursion, lots of oak, and since these are a few years old at this point, solid amount of brettiness to it. Not quite funky, but its musty.

Good clean sour impact, sour is right in the middle on that 1-10 scale, acidity not high, a little more lemon, green apple modestly existing in the mouthfeel, light almost virgin like oak. Wheat plenty noticeable in the mouthfeel too. Pretty cool, light bodied.
Feb 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4.5 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota

Jan 19, 2016
Photo of dar482
Reviewed by dar482 from New York

4.56/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
The aroma offers apple vinegar, crab apple and lemon tart, funk, stone fruit.

The beer hits of tart apples, vinegar, some hay funk, a hint of apple cider vinegar, more tart qualities, but complimented by a dry and bubbly finish like champagne. A really well done sour by Ithaca.
Dec 04, 2015
 
Rated: 4.43 by SocalKicks from California

Nov 09, 2015
 
Rated: 3.39 by SadMachine from New Jersey

Sep 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4.49 by yeaprolly from Washington

Sep 17, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by EB1 from California

Sep 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4.32 by tobelerone from New Jersey

Aug 11, 2015
Brute from Ithaca Beer Company
Beer rating: 98 out of 100 with 846 ratings