Tale of Two Fish
Oude Northwest

Can dated 12/21/22

Pours a pale, but vibrant yellow, almost neon color. Was a bit of a gusher from the can but not unsurprising given a wild ale and age. Three inch head, very foamy, quickly dissipates into lacing and a thin layer of bubbles. Smells of lacto, lemon, tart berries, barnyard, faint apple cider vinegar. Taste is tart, not quite pucker-the-lips sour, but tart. Lacto is very evident, barnyard funk comes through echoing much of the nose and really inline with ACV. Mouthfeel is moderate-to-high carbonation, prickly. Finish is dry, lemon, somewhat earthy and some chalkiness. There is some complexity that I am longing for from wild fermentation but these are largely unpredictable with age. Very hard to say what was/is the intended outcome.

Big foam on first pour in the Tuborg Pilsner glass, but it settles down. Spritzy and lively in the mouth, natch. Interesting aroma of something fruity and sharp. This is tart and tangy but not actually vinegary. Overall this seems like a better Wild Ale than the usual sours, though it would not be mistaken for anything else. It's just more drinkable with some of the fruity hop flavors still along for the ride. Clean and refreshing when you don't want anything malty. Some bitterness and stemmy astringency in the aftertaste. From the 16 oz can dated 12/21/22 so the aged may have mellowed it.

my first from this operation, love the name and the concept, stillwater dude i guess, dont have all the details, but i was impressed with this can my homie shared with me this weekend, really dynamic brew, really different on the fermentation side, weird new hop too, lots to break down in this very drinkable saison. i think its neat this exists, that stillwater and its other labels or sister brands or whatever we call them are northwest based now, and i already look forward to getting into more of these. this is a wild saison aged in oak and dry hopped with anchovy and chinook hops, my first experience with anchovy i think, really neat! pale yellow and clearer than not, a super airy and wispy inch plus of white head, frantic carbonation, this looks like it was ready to get out of the can, which has an old school and understated design. the aroma is strange, the hops are like as estery as the yeasts somehow, light funk mingles with white wine fruitiness, dried mango, pink gum, key lime zest, and green melon. there is some tartness here, lemony and tangy, but this isnt sour, the oak is tannic and newish to me, and quite forward in the mix since the grain profile is so light. its rustic in its complexion, could be some raw wheat in this, old world pils malt, minerals in the water profile, probably still rather unique even without the hops, mature on the wood side but still fresh, and kind of young to me on the wild side, not underdeveloped but maybe not totally evolved either, this seems like a unique mix, it does not taste like other wild beers, and i respect that, even if its slightly challenging and takes some getting used to. the hops make this really stand out though, anchovy and chinook, big citrus up front, more herbal in the middle with notes of lemongrass, elderflower, and dandelion, light bitterness later on, but its carefully, even delicately done, this is not overly hoppy or anything, its all in great balance. the anchovy hops seem to have a floral brightness, an almost candied aspect, and are very compatible with the funk this has, more of that as it warms. maybe slightly greasy on the palate from the hop oils but its cut fast by the finishing acidity. really neat beer, i need another one to fully take in all thats happening here, but suffice it to say these guys are on my radar now. really thankful to have gotten to try this, cant wait for more from them!