Old Chicago Winter Sour
De Brabandere

 

I got this on draft at Old Chicago in a 10 oz tulip glass. Excellent, excellent sour! Such a great balance of tart and sweet. Very drinkable at 8%. Almost dangerously so. Hints of cherries, not much if any funk. Mine had a big head that dropped down pretty quickly but I had the lacing in the glass that shows good carbonation. Color is a reddish brown. It reminds me of the Duchess with maybe a little less complexity. Unfortunately this was the last of this one in the keg and I was happy to get it.

 

L: Dark purple-red color with a creamy white head and several nice fingers of lacing.

S: Tart and sour with notes of apple and vinegar, slowly drift to notes of Cherry, vanilla and oak. Very inviting aroma.

T: Tart Cherry and apple, interspersed with notes of vanilla and oak, sour hits near the end along with some vinegar and a finish of sweeter cherries.

F: Medium body, medium carbonation and nice tart and sour.

O: This is a very nice complex and tasty sour beer.

Served on tap in a snifter glass

Appearance-The beer is served a dark brown, nearly black color with a one finger head of cream colored foam. The head has a good level of retention, slowly fading over time to leave a lighter level of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma of the brew is strongest of apple cider vinegar smell mixed with some other smells of dark fruit. The dark fruit are heaviest of cheery with some other smells of lighter fruits (peach and pear) as well. Mixed with these there is a little bit of oak and a hint of candied sugar.

Taste – The taste begins with a moderately sour taste with some apple cider vinegar flavors mixed with other lighter dark fruit flavors of cherry and plum. The flavor is sour but smooth overall, with the fruitiness balancing nicely the sour. As the taste moves on hints of oak and more dark fruit join the taste. A little bit of a candied sugar flavor as well as a hint of little increase in a tart apple taste develop more toward the end, leaving one with a smooth and slightly sweet and sour flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the average side in terms of thickness and creaminess with a carbonation level that is on the higher side. For the tart sour flavors of the brew the feel was excellent making for one nice easy and flavorful sipper.

Overall – I do not normally like sours all that much, but this one is super easy to drink and quite delicious. Knowing Petus’s ability to produce good sours, this one is certainly one to seek if you can. Very flavorful, with a great blend of sour, sweet, and fruit. Very well done on the blending of the brews.