Manchester Tart
Against The Grain Brewery

 

interesting oud bruin character one off at the source. lower level tartness and drinkable.

750 ml bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours crystal clear very dark brown color with a 1 finger dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of lightly tart cranberry, strawberry, raisin, plum, lemon, peach, pear, red apple, melon, red grape, hay, straw, grass, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted brown bread; with light notes of pepper, leathery/musty funk, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy/light funky yeast and dark/roast/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of lightly tart cranberry, strawberry, raisin, plum, lemon, peach, pear, red apple, melon, red grape, hay, straw, grass, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted brown bread; with light notes of pepper, leathery/musty funk, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate peppery yeast spiciness, herbal/roast bitterness, and light Brett tang/tartness on the finish. Lingering notes of cranberry, strawberry, raisin, plum, lemon, peach, pear, red apple, melon, red grape, hay, straw, grass, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toasted brown bread, light funk/pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy/light funky yeast and dark/roast/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from bitter/spiciness and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy/sticky, and lightly acidic/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 6.8%. Overall this is an excellent Belgian dark ale! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy/light funky yeast and dark/roast/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly bitter/spicy/drying finish. Was expecting more Brett initially; but it was finished with it, so not as developed at the moment. Great balance of fruity/spicy yeast and dark/roast/bready malts; with decent amount of Brett complexity. A very enjoyable offering, and great style example. Might be worth grabbing another one to age for a couple years.