The Dirt
Now for a major detour from my first two reviews: a sour! For those of you not familiar with sours, they are a style from Belgium that usually pack a sour punch. This particular beer is a Flanders red ale variety, which is a sour-style beer with fruit characteristics. Typically the style is loved or avoided, and this beer nerd loves. Until this guy was found, I only had American versions of sours, so this was quite the treat.
Upon pouring into my snifter glass, this beer immediately made its style known. The nose had that sour candy like fragrance, while providing a beautiful deep red color. The front end almost has a red wine like effect, which is whisked away by the trademark tartness of the style. Unlike other sours I've had, this was certainly more like a lambic (which Flanders often are), as it reminded me very much of dark tart cherries. However, the beer is not as sweet, though it does have a slightly sweet tail to it that turns into a dry tartness as time passes. A really great balance of sweet, tart, and full flavor from start to end - just a really solid beer all the way through. My only wish is that it was a little more sour because I like that initial impact. But don't get me wrong, this beer is great.
Worth it?
Although it surpasses $6 after tax, this 11.2 fl. oz. bottle of deliciousness is worth it to me. Then again, I'm crazy. My philosophy is that money is not a determining factor when a beer is this good. Certainly worth a special moment, especially if you're a sour or lambic fan. I would suggest this with a nice steak dinner, or anything you'd drink a dry red wine with. If interested, this can be picked up at Whip In in Austin.
The Final Word
