Tag Archives: wine barrel aged

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, The Ale Apothecary, USA, Wild Ale

The Ale Apothecary Faerie Tears

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Brewery: The Ale Apothecary
Country: USA
ABV: 8.5%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Volume II. Mixed fermentation ale aged in wine barrels

Brewer Description: (from tag of bottle) Faerie Tears, vol. 2. 100% authentic wistfulness, no faeries were harmed. (* blend of appx 20 different ales. * as part of our beer recover program. * aged on fresh, hand-picked, manzanita flowers, 286 bottles produced. * OR honey + sour wort + our yeast = 100%. * natural carbonation from bottle fermentation.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.09
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml bottle, batch bottled 28th June 2017 (I think, as the last number wasn’t so clear). Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark copper orange amber colour with a big two finger off white head that had pretty good retention but eventually settled to a thin but replenishing layer. It left only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Oak, vanilla, leather, funk with hints of tart, fruity, apricot and peach.
Taste: Sour, tart, funk, fruity (I’m unsure exactly what fruit, but I want to say apricot…), grape and oak with hints of lemon, vanilla and a vinous touch.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Nice, easy and relaxing to drink even at 9% abv.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, The Ale Apothecary, USA, Wild Ale

The Ale Apothecary Garden Strawberry

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Brewery: The Ale Apothecary
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Mixed fermentation ale aged in wine barrels

Brewer Description: (from tag on bottle) Garden Strawberry – the strawberry was 1st bred in France from North American and Chilean plants. (* beer recovery project blend of 15+ ales. * 60# fresh strawberries in Patricia. * one of our brewery’s original barrels. * 290 bottles produced. * OR honey + sour wort + our yeast = 100%. * natural carbonation from bottle fermentation.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.34
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 750ml bottle, batch bottled on 9th July 2017. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A cloudy golden orange colour with a big two finger white head that had pretty good retention and eventually settled to a thin replenishing layer while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, strawberry, oak and a light funk.
Taste: Tart, sour, strawberry, oak, red wine vinegar and some nice funk.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Very nice and refreshing, and just so easy to drink.

4 - Good (buy), 8 Wired Brewing Co., Beer Reviews, New Zealand, Wild Ale

8 Wired A Fistful Of Cherries

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Brewery: 8 Wired Brewing Co.
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 6.7%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Sour Ale with Marlborough Cherries aged in wine barrels. 2016 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A sour ale brewed in the Belgian tradition. Barrel aged for two years on fresh Marlborough Cherries. Vibrant flavours of funk and fruit. Contains a fistful of cherries per bottle. No more, no less. Depending on the size of ones fist of course…

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.13
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 500ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date other than 2016 vintage. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy ruby red colour with a one and a half finger off white head that dissipated fairly quickly and left only sparse lacing. Near the end, the pour becomes a cloudy purple-reddish colour.
Aroma: Tangy, cherry and lemon with light citrus zest, oak, leathery brett and funk.
Taste: Tart, lightly sour, cherry, oak, barnyard, funk and brett.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, medium to light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: A solid sour that is enjoyable and very drinkable.

4 - Good (buy), Almanac Beer Co., Beer Reviews, USA, Wild Ale

Almanac Valley Of The Heart’s Delight

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Brewery: Almanac Beer Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Farm to barrel

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Sour blonde ale aged in wine barrels with apricots & strawberries

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.28
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 375ml bottle, released in February 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden yellow orange colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass that lingers and left some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Oak, strawberry, apricot, peach, tart mixed berries, with some funk, leather, straw and white wine.
Taste: Tart and tangy lemon, apricot and strawberry, followed by a touch of oak, vanilla, funk and leather.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate prickly carbonation.
Overall: It was very tasty and complex. I’m not usually too fond of wine barrel aging, but the addition of apricots and strawberries matched it well, and probably took it up a notch. Very enjoyable.

4 - Good (buy), Almanac Beer Co., Beer Reviews, USA, Wild Ale

Almanac Farmer’s Reserve Raspberry

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Brewery: Almanac Beer Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 6.8%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Farm to barrel

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Sour blonde ale aged in wine barrels with raspberries.

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

Intro: A 375ml bottle, bottled in Fall 2016. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy orangey pink (salmon-ish) colour with a one finger white head that dissipated quickly and sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Sweet raspberry jammy, oak with a hint of mustiness.
Taste: Tart, lightly sour, raspberry jam, oak and lemon.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light to medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: A nice crisp, relaxing and enjoyable drink.