Firestone Walker Brewing Co. - "Under Currants" wild ale

Sour beers and wild ales have carved a niche for themselves in the beer market over the last few years. It seems like every brewery has some version of a wild ale, packed with random fruit or made with some funky yeast or made in some obscure style. Sometimes they're super sour, and sometimes they're quite dark and fruity. Today's beer is an example of the latter, coming to us from Firestone Walker Brewing Co., products of which I have reviewed numerous times on the blog. This Paso Robles, CA-based brewery uses a special, proprietary blend of both Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus yeast to riff on their "Agrestic" ale, to which they added 1.5 pounds of blackcurrants per gallon and then matured in French oak "fruiders" for four months to produce this 6.30% ABV wild ale. Also of note - this ale is just over a year old, with a date of birth listed as 2/28/18. It's batch #001, with only 2900 cases produced.

Sounds really interesting. I'm a fan of most stuff FW does, and their small-batch, single-bottle series are always intriguing.  I'm pouring the "Under Currants" into my antique coupe glass, because I feel like it.

Hmm, in terms of aroma it's definitely quite sour. There's a thin layer of white foam and LOTS of little bubbles in there. Color is a pleasing reddish-purple.

Taste-wise, it's quite dry and  refreshing with a strong showing of blackcurrants, dark fruit, caramel malts, and lemon rind. There's an element of tartness, sort of like a softer version of the old black cherry Atomic Warhead candies, and this remains throughout the beer. The fruits make the beer less "bright" and a little thicker and vinous. Finish is fruity and has a long, lingering aftertaste with a touch of tingling tartness.

I'm digging the texture of this beer - it's full-bodied and smooth -and is thicker than some wild ales I've had, which is kind of nice. I'd suggest this to anyone who enjoys sour / wild ales but may want something less fizzy or light or bright than the other variants on the market today. This beer is available in a muselet-topped 12oz bottle and sells for $15.99, and unlike the other Firestone Walker single-bottle releases, this one does not have its own attractive display box. So not the cheapest, but definitely a nice take on the style and worth a try, especially if you're into sours.

Two Roads / Evil Twin - "Saigon Scooter Selfie" coffee stout

One beer trend I've observed is the increase in the number of pricey four-packs of pints. Yes, beer is still sold in six-packs or in singles or in larger packs, but I've noticed a lot of breweries releasing their creations in packs of four 16oz pint cans. These packs are not your typical lagers or ales - they're often "fancy" beer, made with unusual ingredients or in a particular style, and often come with a price tag to match - I've seen some four-packs go for over $25! Frankly, that's a LOT to pay for beer and I'm somewhat hesitant to recommend these.

But here's one that I think IS worth it - a collaboration stout between Stratford, CT-based Two Roads Brewing Co. and gypsy brewery Evil Twin. It's called "Saigon Scooter Selfie" and is billed as a Vietnamese-style coffee stout. Cool, right?

At 9.50%, this stout is made with brown sugar and cream extract. According to the bottle, the top brewers at each brewery came together, fueled by their love for the Vietnamese coffee drink "Ca Phe Sua Da", and traveled to Saigon to create this beer in partnership with Hanoi-based Heart of Darkness Craft Brewery.

Beers that emulate other beverages can be hit-or-miss; sometimes they fall flat and other times they knock it out of the park. Likewise, coffee stouts can be far too bitter or over-roasted, so we'll see how this turns out.

Aroma is pleasant, kinda smells like a cup of iced coffee. I let it warm up for five or so minutes, and swished it a bit, as one should do with a darker beer. Upon trying, I can say there are three things remarkable about this beer:

One, the texture. It's strikingly creamy, soft, and thick, almost like someone added a tablespoon or two of heavy cream to the beer. It's somewhat light for a stout, and in terms of weight, closer to a porter or even a thick black lager, actually. But not oily or heavy at all, and quite enjoyable.

Second, the flavors. There are two major flavors here, which appear simultaneously - one, a mild coffee flavor with some roasted malts, and two, a prominent sweetness very reminiscent of Vietnamese coffee or Thai iced tea...that sort of sugary milk they use. The brown sugar is somewhat noticeable, mostly moderating the cream but also adding to the sweetness. Definitely a sugar bomb.

Third, the drinkability. This beer hides the alcohol well and does not taste like 9.50% ABV. Likewise, the relative lightness of the beer doesn't overwhelm nor does it coat your throat after drinking.

So, yeah, I'm really digging this - it's super drinkable, nice and sweet, and with a very creamy, soft texture. The cream extract provides a "thick milk" consistency to the beer which is most welcome. It was nice to have a coffee stout that's on the lighter, sweeter end! About the cost - here's another "is-it-worth-$17-for-four-pints" question...and the answer is yes. Initially, I split this four-pack with my colleagues at D'Vines (to see if we liked it) but I subsequently went back to purchase a four-pack myself. If you like soft, creamy stouts with a delicious sweetness, seek this out - it's well worth it.

Atlas Brew Works - "Batch 500" barleywine

Wow, check this out - a super-rare beer from DC-based Atlas Brew Works. I got this gratis courtesy of my man Frankie, who is a rep for Atlas. He came by D'Vines to do a tasting, we got to chatting about the blog, and I mentioned that I hadn't tried any of Atlas's more rare stuff. He came back the next day and gave this to me. Quite generous of him, and much appreciated!

This beer is called "Batch 500" and is a 10.00% ABV oak-aged barleywine made with Brettanomyces yeast, brewed in commemoration of Atlas' 5th anniversary in 2018. As you may know, I'm a big barleywine fan so this is exciting as I haven't had a barleywine by Atlas before. The Brettanomyces is a bold choice, and I'm not sure how it will work here - this yeast is typically used in lighter beers and imparts a funky, somewhat vegetal flavor that I feel might get lost in the syrupy, heaviness of barleywines. But only one way to find out.

Wax top is not overly thick (here's looking at you, "Brett de Vinum") and is easily removed with a knife. Cap seems loose, though, after peeling off the wax. Upon opening, there's no hiss, pours somewhat flatly. Hmm, I hope this didn't leak.

Generates a bone-white head after agitating. Not much aroma.

Immediately this strikes me as much more medium-bodied than some barleywines I've had...barleywines, as a style, are known to be typically rather syrupy and heavy, but this one is quite smooth and soft. That's pretty cool, actually. As I enjoy the beer, there's a good measure of alcohol notes which develop, and if you like heavy wood flavors, then "Batch 500" will definitely butter your biscuit. There's solid notes of oak, brown sugar, and a touch of maple in there. Lots of  At 45 IBUs, it's not particularly hoppy, although nor can I detect any of that Brett funk. This beer does not have the kinda of boozy sweetness aftertaste that many barleywines have, but does have some of the attendant wood flavors.

I was perhaps expecting something a bit more thick and overpowering, but I can definitely respect the way this is drinkable. It's not often we come across a barleywine-style ale that is both 10.00% ABV and also NOT a boozy bomb. I like the idea of trying to incorporate Brettanomyces, although to be frank I really don't detect its influence whatsoever. This doesn't make it a bad beer, though, and although this beer is unfortunately no longer produced, but if it was, I'd suggest it as a good place to start if you're thinking of getting into barleywines. However, I do encourage you to check out other Atlas offerings like their "Rowdy Rye" and "NSFW", both excellent. Thanks again to Frankie, and Atlas, for the generous contribution to the blog.

Vinemio - 2010 "Imagine" syrah / grenache

Today's wine is from the depths of my cellar - I bought this 2010 vintage for $60 back in late 2010 or early 2011, along with the Black Slate priorat, as "investment" bottles...bottles intended for sitting in the back of the cabinet, aging, ready to fully develop. It was about time to try this, so here we go.

This 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah blend is from the Ventoux AOC, located in the southeastern part of the famous Rhone wine-growing region of southern France. This region is generally divided into two parts - Northern Rhone (Rhone septentrional in French), which produces Syrah and a smattering of other grapes, and southern Rhone (Rhone meridional) produces a whole host of white and red grapes, including blends such as the Avignon treasure, Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

I don't always check online reviews of wine, since I'd rather just taste the wine myself, but for really old bottles, I like to check to see what they were like new. Reviews have it that's full of tannins, heavy, with sweet berry notes. Obviously all this aging will have tempered that, but let's find out for ourselves.

Pours out dark reddish brown into the glass, with really no bricking. Nice color though. Note the spilled drops - really nice reddish-purple.

It's also pretty cool that the cork has the vintage right on it.

There's a bit of an alcohol tinge on the nose, some dark fruit, but generally very soft. I didn't have an aerator, but when I poured it out I let sit (and swish) for about 15 minutes before tasting.

Wow, this is really light. Not a ton of flavor here. It's thin and a touch watery, but has a nice dryness here that's a function of the aging. I'm detecting some softer blackberry notes as the wine develops, no doubt a remnant of its former self, and a I'm sensing pulpy, macerated grape skin flavors on the finish. There's a touch of tartness on the aftertaste, accompanied by alcohol esters and more dryness.

Maybe I was expecting to be disappointed, since most of my wine aging ventures have resulted in overaged wines, but I think this is OK. The wine is soft but not tragically thin; there's not much berry flavors and the mouthfeel is soft, but the aftertaste has some berry and grape skin flavors which are nice. A delicate wine that's not refreshing, per se, but in the context of the other flavors, the dryness does add a pleasing texture. We had steak for dinner, and I'm glad we had this first - I think this is too light for a heavy meal. While this didn't have the fullness of the flavor that it would have while young, I really liked the dryness (as did my father, who tasted this with me) and it was neat to see how a really nice wine ages and maintains its drinkability over almost a decade. We paired this with some Cheddar cheese and water crackers, which I feel was appropriate.

Crooked Run Brewing - "Machu Pisco"

A while back I was visiting a friend of mine out in Northern Virginia and we decided to swing by Crooked Run Brewing Co., located in Sterling, VA. I've seen some of their beers here, but I've never made it to the taproom or had their beers in any real quantity. So it was worth a visit for sure.

The taproom is located in an industrial park, kinda like other NoVa breweries like Aslin, and is quite expansive inside - lots of space, both tables and bar, and they even have a mini-restaurant in there. Turns out Crooked Run does a lot of fruit beers, sour beers, and Berliner Weisses, and so as we sat at the bar and checked out the really cool menu artwork - each beer had it's own chalk art  - we tried a flight as well as a few pints. They were all tasty, but I wanted to showcase one absolutely stellar beer: "Machu Pisco."

This beer is a 5.00% Berliner Weisse, which a light and somewhat-sour style of beer originating in the north of Germany and featuring a signature lactic sourness. Today's beer is a peculiar take on the style: made with limes, Muscat grape must, lactose, and Angostura bitters, this beer is meant to emulate a pisco sour. Cool!

Ingredients like limes and grape must are a much more common ingredient to beer nowadays. Limes are popular in goses and other light beers, and Dogfish Head has made a few concoctions using grape must. The cocktail bitters, however, is a really interesting choice and I don't believe I've ever heard of this being added to beer. For those unfamiliar, Angostura bitters are an herbal mixture used as garnish or flavoring in cocktails; it's most commonly found in drinks like an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan (although also sprinkled on a pisco sour!)

I of course already know what this beer is like, since I had a pint or two at the pub, so no surprises here. Cracked open from the attractive-looking pint can, this beer pours swiftly and generates an aroma of white wine - that's the grapes coming through.

As soon as the beer hits your tongue, you'll get strong flavors of grapes  - tastes like fresh, unfermented green grapes, like you grabbed a grape off a bunch at the supermarket. Light, juicy, and slightly sweet. With this beer, there's an edge of sweetness, there, too, which is the lime's texture coming in. Then lots of juicy lime flavor, accompanied by just a hint of wheat and herbs (the bitters, perhaps?) The lactose softens up the beer nicely and makes for a creamy mouthfeel, which is a nice counter to the aftertaste of puckery lime and savoriness from salt. The finish is long and lingering, with a touch of sourness and a lot of that wheat / salt flavor.

Whew, ok, where to begin. There is a LOT going on in this beer, and everything is perfect. The muscat grapes are probably the most noticeable flavor here, although the limes, the herbs from the bitters, the wheat, and the salt all make an appearance. To be honest, lime is a risky ingredient. Some lime beers, like Two Roads' "Persian Lime Gose", is a punch to the face and tend to override the other flavor notes. But this beer really threads the needle and gives a nice soft, nuanced, delicious delivery of lime softened by the lactose and paired well with the other ingredients. I'm really impressed by the drinkability of this beer, too, and coupled with the spot-on imitation of a pisco sour, I feel that this is a total home run for Crooked Run. All flavors are in perfect harmony. At $22 for four pints, it's pricey but absolutely worth it. I'd even go so far as to say this has a place in my top ten beers, ever. Definitely buy this!

Rabble Wine Company - 2016 Zinfandel [Paso Robles, CA]

OK, so I am sucker for cool and fancy labels on wine, beer, and spirits. The artwork on the outside of the bottle can be just as fun as the liquid artwork inside the bottle, and this fact led me to today's wine, a 2016 Zinfandel from Paso Robles, CA-based Rabble Wine Company.

The bottle says, in old-timey font, "This RABBLE appeared in the tenth month of year 2016". Really neat, huh? We sell this at D'Vines for $24.99 and it has been calling my name for some time. I also really love Zinfandel, so this was a no-brainer.

According to an online source, this wine was grown in Mossfire Ranch, a 320-acre parcel of land on the east side of the Paso Robles AVA, right along the Pleasant Valley Wine Trail. Varying in elevation, this area experiences cool mornings and warm, breezy afternoons, with sandy soils that range from alluvial to loamy and calcium-rich, they can grow a wide range of grapes there: for example, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Petit Sirah. As you may know, certain grapes thrive in certain conditions so Mossfire Ranch, like most vineyards, are intentionally planned and planted for each varietal to take advantage of conditions like elevation, shade, irrigation, and soil type.

OK, let's see what this wine is about. Poured it out using a Vintorio aerator; immediately it generates a full, pleasing aroma detectable even from a few feet away. Bright and fresh!

It's a medium-garnet color in the glass...when volatized (technical term for being spun in the glass), the wine coats the inside and generates some clear "legs." The meniscus has a tiny bit of bricking.

There's a burst of fresh blackberry flavor up front, light but appreciable, and this develops quickly  with deeper and stronger flavors like leather, salt, and grape skins. The weight of this wine definitely takes a few seconds to make itself known. In fact, the salt almost tastes a tad briney. Hard to tell. There's a definite aftertaste, mostly of dark fruit and a bit of baker's chocolate. Tannins and acidity are moderate, nothing too bold, which is pretty much on par for a Zinfandel.

 I'm really digging how balanced this wine is, as well - no one flavor "bulldozes" the other, in fact, the dark berry skins complement the leathery, salty elements very well. Overall a really nice bottle of wine that would pair well with gamey meats like quail or pheasant; likewise for those of us who not eat those things on the regular, it would pair well with heavier, spicier foods like roasted squash, ham, bacon, or even a curry.

This bottle sells at D'Vines for $24, so a bit high for an everyday bottle. Well worth it if you like refined Zinfandels from California, though. Check out the picture, below - there's several more Rabble variants! All with excellent labels. At D'Vines, we sell the Cabernet Sauvignon version, but looks like there are plenty others. I'm eager to try them all.

South Street Brewery - a must-see in Charlottesville!

While at Mellow Mushroom in Charlottesville, I noticed South Street Brewery's "Satan's Pony" red ale on draft. I do love red ales, but I opted not to try it because I discovered the brewery was within walking distance of my hotel, and that I should check out the place myself. I had two other nights to explore the town, so I put it on the calendar and opted to give this place a full review. After Friday's sessions (which included a well-attended workshop on student advocacy presented by yours truly) I headed out for some beer and a bite to eat.

The brewery itself is located on South Street in Charlottesville, between the Downtown Mall and UVA's campus. It was about a 15 minute walk from my hotel. Tucked away between houses and apartments, the brewery fronts right to the street and occupies an industrial space, maybe a former warehouse. Inside, there's a huge seating area with a fireplace, comfy chairs, high-top tables, and traditional booths. The bar runs almost the whole length of the dining room and has big windows that overlook the brewing area and some nice stainless steel fermenters.

I introduced myself to the bartender, who was great by the way, and took a look at the tap list. They have a pretty respectable draft list here. There's essentially something for everyone - lighter beers, amber ales, red ales, dark stouts, sours. I like these kinds of places because it's fun to see how the brewers approach various styles.

The bartender sees me perusing and says, "would you like a flight?" Why yes, I would. So he proceeds to pour me a 4oz taste of everything on draft. Twelve beers, 48oz of beer total, to start off the night.

No need to do a full review, I'm just going to write a short snapshot of each.

• "Very Plzen Pils", a 4.60% ABV pilsner made with Czech hops, German malts, and lager yeast...My take: delicious. It's light bodied, not too much carbonation, and presents a low level of hop bitterness paired with a really delicious flaked wheat flavor...not toasted, just raw wheat like that Shredded Wheat cereal I had as a kid. This beer is very traditional, super refreshing, and delicious.
• "My Personal Helles" - a 5.20% ABV unfiltered helles lager made with German noble hops and Augustiner Brau yeast...It's a nice take on the German helles lager style, refreshing but also not as light or as fizzy as a pilsner. 
• "Virginia Lager" - a 5.20% ABV lager...Very straightforward but well-balanced. Malt is the biggest tasting note here. I felt it was a little heavy for 5.20%. Not much else to say - it's just a decent, regular lager. 
• "Satan's Pony" - a 5.30% ABV amber ale made with Scottish ale yeast and English hops...In my opinion, pretty hoppy for a red ale. I prefer my red ales on the maltier / sweeter end, but this one is pretty lively. Nice bite on the finish, though, and the flavor sticks around after swallowing. 
• "Slippery When Wit" - a 5.20% ABV witbier / gose hybrid...That's an interesting concept, actually, so I'm curious how they do it. Turns out the gose is the dominant flavor here - lots of sourness on the front end with some lingering minerality. I can taste the wheat, though, so this beer definitely has elements of both witbier and gose. The menu says it's got a "clean finish" but I actually disagree - it's pretty sticky and the flavor clings to your tongue long after swallowing. I actually like this a lot - lighter styles of beers sometimes have the tendency to be too light and fizzy and the flavor fades away quickly...it's nice to see that's not the case here. This would be good to try if you want an introduction to goses. 
• "Sour Poss" - 6.30% ABV fruit beer...Hazy orange in the glass, this beer is definitely kettle-soured and is quite tart. Nice! Lots of grapefruit and hazy yeast notes. I like grapefruit because it adds a nice flavor and texture but doesn't overdo it (like some other grapefruit beers I've had.) 
• "Barhopper" - a 6.80% ABV IPA made with Citra, Simcoe, Centennial, Sorachi Ace, and Azacca hops...Hmm, okay, this is pretty good because it's actually not terribly aggressive. The description makes me think like it's going to be some amped-up hopmonster, but it's actually middle of the road and presents some decent bitterness and a touch of resin. 
• "Absolution" - a 4.80% ABV old ale...A touch sweet, this beer is pretty earthy, malty, and flat. A rather-light take on the style (a lot of old ales are quite boozy and syrupy) and while it's a faithful reproduction of the style's flavor profile, I'm missing that bit of "oomph" that comes with some of the stronger old ales. 
• "Dave's Cubano Brown Ale" - a 5.30% ABV brown ale made with Shenandoah Joe's Ethiopian Sidamo coffee...Wow, this is closer to a cold brew coffee than it is to a beer. Full coffee notes throughout, and even a bit of the winey and cherry flavors you get with actual Ethiopian coffee. It's not milky at all, but is soft and easydrinking.  I don't know who Dave is, but this beer is definitely a win for coffee lovers and super tasty. 
• "Aisling Stout" - a 5.60% ABV stout made with Caramalts and oats ...it's pretty subtle, actually. Slightly creamy, not much roasted malts or oily textures. Sorta tastes like a lighter version of Guinness. If I was doing a blind taste test, I'd think this was a light porter maybe. This would be good for stout drinkers looking to get their soft, dark beer fix without the heaviness that stouts sometime bring.
• "Acoustic Kitty" - a 9.07% ABV double India Pale Oat Ale...curious, have never heard that term before. Beer is good though - brassy, so definitely good if you like your DIPAs on the hoppy side. There's a touch of sweetness, but the oats definitely make it maltier and mellows out the hops. But a very full-bodied, yet less bitter, double IPA. 
• "Anastasia's Fantasy, Gingerbread Variant" - a 10.52% Russian imperial stout made with gingerbread....wow, this definitely delivers a massive wave of gingerbread and spices. It's not particularly heavy or boozy, but definitely flavorful and full. Definitely the heaviest thing on the menu. 
• As a bonus, I got to try a mixed firkin of their "Anastasia" and their "Ice Cream Stout"...a neat creamy mixture, definitely softer than the regular "Anastasia." Probably more my speed than the original. Gingerbread is more mellow here, which is good. 

So, looking at the flight as a whole, it was interesting to see the ABVs on the beer....a lot of pretty light beers. That's cool for a couple reasons - not only can we drink more, but it's a nice departure from the super heavy beers you find at some locations. Some brewers like to overload their beers with alcohol to make a boozy wallop, so it's refreshing to have some lighter beers across a variety of styles. Sometimes having a low-alcohol stout is just what the doctor ordered.

Speaking of...biggest winners of the night for me were the firkin "Anastasia" / "Ice Cream Stout" hybrid, the "Dave's Cubano", and the "Very Plzen Pilsner."

The atmosphere is also really great - all the staff I interacted with were warm and inviting, the space is large but feels intimate, and the food was delicious (I had a fancy grilled cheese.) This reminds me a lot of Molly Pitcher - a brewery which has a little something for everyone in a really welcoming spot with good food. If you're ever in Charlottesville, give this place a look!