Wild Ale
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall

On tap at Belgian Comes to West Chester (Iron Hill). Firkin, brewed in 2007.

This is by far the best Harpoon beer I remember having! Poured a medium and cloudy golden color with almost no head. Aromas of wood, bretty, funky, and musty. Tastes of wood, brett, funky, vanilla, and cherries. Nice light to medium tart and sour finish. Of the 3 beers I had there, this one was by far the standout!

A hazy, glowing orange body is capped by a thin but head of white foam. The retention is limited, and it leaves only spots of lace about the glass, but that's to be expected of the style. Yeasty fruit and musty, leathery, and earthy Brettanomyces greets you in the nose. It's not over-done, and rather accessible. In the mouth it's medium-light bodied and lightly zesty. The flavor is as the aroma suggests, with a delicate Brett character and a very nice fruitiness (crisp apple, pear, perhaps a touch of plum) atop a delicate malt base. A thin tartness and some woody Brett dryness sharpen it; and it finishes short, tart, and dry with some lingering dusty/mineralish character. Quite drinkable! It's not as intense as some other examples of the style, and perhaps not as complex, but it's certainly accessible and enjoyable!