Category Archives: Wild Ale

Métaphore Qvevri

Brewery: Métaphore
Country: Czech Republic
ABV: 5.2%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: Batch L22-1

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This beer explores the dialectics of aging beers in Georgian qvevri and is driven by a romantic vision of making rustic beers with the unique energy of these ancient vessels. Qvevris are huge, handmade earthenware vessels that were traditionally used in Georgia to make and age wine. This method and dying art of winemaking could never be invented in the modern world, and reflects the depth of 8,000 years of winemaking history in Georgia. This beer consists of a blend of spontaneously fermented beers aged for one year in qvevri buried in the ground with organic Riesling grapes, and a further year refining in oak barrels. The unique “je ne sais quoi” mineral, rustic quality and quaffable character that defines this beer are dear to Métaphore and to me. This beer with a sense of time and place is ready to be enjoyed here and now. Best shared in good company. Na zdravi! Jiří.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.26
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, batch L22-1, with a best before date of 1st October 2032. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A mostly clear golden colour with a one finger white head that had decent retention, and eventually settled to a ring around the glass, while leaving sparse lacing.
Aroma: Funky, barnyard, vinous, white wine grapes, honey, lemon zest, and a splash of band-aid.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, funky, barnyard, white wine grapes, honey sweetness, lemon zest, with light notes of apple, minerals and wood.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Interesting and enjoyable aroma and flavours with good funk and complexity.

Métaphore Peach Rust

Brewery: Métaphore
Country: Czech Republic
ABV: 5.3%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: Batch L22

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This bright and playful beer is a fresh reminder of carefree summers and sings with a clear expression of one of my favourite summer fruits. It consists of a blend of spontaneous and mixed fermentation beers aged in oak barrels for over two years with fresh local peaches from two consecutive harvests. This fresh and fruity rustic beer with a sense of time and place is ready to be enjoyed here and now. Best shared in good company. Na zdravi! Jiří.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.22
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, batch L22, with a best before date of 1st October 2032. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden straw yellow colour with a one finger white head that dissipated quickly to nothing, while leaving sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Tart, peach, peach gummy candy, woody, light funk.
Taste: As you’d expect from the aroma, sour, tart, peach, peach gummy candy, with light oak and light funk.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Simple, straightforward, enjoyable and easy to drink.

Ammonite Cuvée Vendange Cassis 2022

Brewery: Brasserie Ammonite
Country: France
ABV: 6%
Style: Wild Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle in French) Bière de fermentation spontanée aux cassis (200gr/L). Varieté: Noir de Bourgogne.

(translated to English) Spontaneously fermented beer with blackcurrants (200gr/L). Variety: Black Burgundy.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.99
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, vintage 2022, with a best before date of 2nd October 2042. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy purplish red colour, with a thin white head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Fruity, blackcurrant, Ribena, green vines, with a touch of apple peel.
Taste: Much like the aroma, sour, tart, fruity, blackcurrant, Ribena, notes of apple peel and a touch of acidity.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft to no carbonation.
Overall: Cassis is front and centre as it should be. Was hoping for more complexity though, and my preference would have been to have at least some carbonation.

Stu Mostów WILD No.13 Bière de Soif refermented with Red Regent and Rondo Grapes Blend 2021

Brewery: Browar Stu Mostów
Country: Poland
ABV: 6.8%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: Hops – Hersbrucker. 5 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) For this blend, we personally picked the grapes from the small local Jadwiga Winery, located just 20 km from the Brewery. The very same day we blended them with the beer base and let it referment with skin contact for over 12 days. This beer drinks really close to some of our favourite French “glou glou” Pét-Nat wines. Filled with cherry and red fruits aromas balanced with a slight tartness and funk notes. Delights with a vibrant cherry color topped with a pinkish, long lasting foam. Unpasteurised and so changing with time – perfect for refermentation and long aging!

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.25
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 375ml clear bottle, with a best before date of 10th May 2024. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy cherry red colour with a two finger pinkish head that dissipated quickly while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Funky, grape skin, vinous, cherry, with light oak notes.
Taste: Lightly sour, funky, grape skin, natural red wine, vinous, cherry, red fruits.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with high carbonation.
Overall: Nice funk with enjoyable grape skin and vinous notes.

Stu Mostów WILD No.12 Bière de Soif Peach Cherry Blend 2021

Brewery: Browar Stu Mostów
Country: Poland
ABV: 6%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: Hops – Hersbrucker. 5 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) In the bottles of the latest beer from the WILD series we have sealed a blend of our barrel aged Saison and super aromatic “Inka” peaches from Owocowe Zacisze farm and local “Łutówka” cherries from Ireneusz Rudnicki Farm. They were delivered to us personally by the farmers and processed by hand the same day. The beer owes to them not only a wonderful aroma but also a beautiful “rose” color with a small but long-lasting white head. Ends with a truly wild & funky aftertaste.

My rating: 3+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.94
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 375ml clear bottle, with a best before date of 8th April 2024. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A careful pour to keep the yeast in the bottle led to a hazy rosé pink colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly, while leaving only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Fruity, lightly tart, rhubarb, peach, cherry pits, with a splash of sherry vinegar.
Taste: Lightly sour and tart, peach, cherry pits, cherry skin, with some funky notes.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyable aromas and flavours. Cherry was a little muted, and was expecting and hoping for higher carbonation, but generally it was good.