Brewery: Anchorage Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 8.5%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: Ale aged in pinot noir and whisky barrels

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Ale brewed with summit hops. Triple fermented first in French oak foudres, second in pinot noir and whisky barrels with brett and other critters. Finally in the bottle for natural carbonation. Enjoy…

The cycle of life can be harsh or rewarding. Born in fresh water, the mighty anadromous Alaska salmon struggle in their migration from our pristine, roaring streams to the ocean and back, traveling thousands of miles while avoiding many perils, simply to instinctively spawn and die, and often becoming a source of food in our own life cycle. Sour beers have a distinct life cycle as well in their journey from the oak to the bottle, and ultimately add a rewarding contribution to our own path through life. Rather than slumber in the oak where Anchorage Brewing Company’s Anadromous is born, the beer matures for a year and a half while instinctively avoiding the sometimes offsetting perils of fermentation and souring in the deep, dark underworld of the oak. Unseen to mortals, the beer fights its way to maturity, avoiding attacking bacteria, the alcohol itself and other hidden dangers that might curtail the beer’s noble journey to our goblets. Anadromous is Anchorage Brewing Company’s tribute to our rewards and struggles in life. Over 40 different pinot noir oak barrels of sour beer were blended to capture the unique contribution of each. Bottle conditioning and time add additional complexity and sourness to the noble brew along its path from the brewery to your glass. Pull the cork on this mighty species and add a unique experience to your cycle of life. Anadromous is alive and enriching, so enjoy it while celebrating all things good.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.27
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, batch #3, bottled in January 2017, poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a half finger tanned head that dissipated fairly quickly, while leaving some decent lacing.
Aroma: Dark fruit, plum, red wine grapes, raisin, caramel, with notes of chocolate and oak.
Taste: Sour, tart, blackcurrant, mixed berries, slightly jammy, plum, red wine grapes, with a finish of notes of chocolate, oak, and whisky.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Almost 5 years from bottling, this aged well. Enjoyable aroma and flavours that just worked well together.