The Harvester: Blackberry, Red Raspberry & Pomegranate
Abomination Brewing Company

 

 

 

If its acceptable for slushies to be a beer, then lets make a strong and formidable sour ale with generous fruit additions and give it a menacing label. Not everyone can pull this off, so let's leave it to the professionals - like Abomination Brewing.

As the Blackberry, Red Raspberry and Pomegranate version of The Harvester hits the glass, there's a deep and nearly neon purple glow that comes with crimson, ruby and mauve hues. Deep and dark in its color, it could easily pass for fruit puree. And those berries strike first as the nose fills with fruit radiance, red wine, cider and a woodsy funk to boot. Its juicy sweetness then coats the tongue with those fruit puree tones and in juice box fashion.

As the sour ale washes over the middle palate, the succulence and savory flavors of all-things-berry blooms into a fortified wine taste with a much more acidic edge. As underlying flavors of crabapple, lime, lemon and gooseberry frame the sourness, they also give balance to the fruit sweetness while adding complexity to its fruit tartness. Trending spicy with dry woods and light burlap. the late taste tightens its sour grip as its juiciness falls away.

Medium bodied and probably full for sour ale, the juicy upstart finishes dry and acidic like fruitier robust red wine. A medium length aftertaste of dark fruit nearly seems of plum and blueberry along with the necessary pectin bite of fruit skins for balance and tannin dryness.