Uinta Brewing Co. - "Biere de Mars" ale

Now that the weather is (kinda) warming up, I figured it was time to try a lighter spring ale. Fortunately, those seasonal offerings are just starting to make their way to market, and a casual perusal of the beer aisle at Whole Foods on P Street shows both new spring stuff and remnants of their winter stock. But there was one new entry which jumped out at me - Uinta Brewing Co.'s "Biere de Mars."

It's billed as a 7.2% ABV spring ale aged in Chardonnay barrels. You may recall my mention of the oak-aging process in a wine post last year, but as a recap, wood barrels are often used to age wine, liquor and beer. The wood imparts certain flavors, and as beer mingles with the wood and absorbs those flavors, it can change the consistency and taste.

But then that leads me to what a "spring ale" is. It's not a term I've heard often, which is one of the reasons I was attracted to this beer. So a little research cleared up the issue - a spring ale is essentially a seasonal beer made back when beer was usually made in the home with materials grown on the family farm. The name of the beer, "March beer" in French, denotes when the beer was traditionally enjoyed. It was brewed using leftover ingredients from the harvest, and left to sit until March when it achieved the proper consistency.

Let's crack this open. It pours a nice amber color, generating a short, clingy white foam head.

It's not super aromatic, but has some fresh aromas and a little spice, Candled, the beer is pretty light with lots of little bubbles.

Wow, interesting. It's very malty initially, with some present but not overpowering hop profiles, and a light biscuity flavor. "Biscuity" is a flavor term used to describe a beer with an unleavened yeasty flavor - think a Royal Milk cracker. A little herbal cereal tastes round out the beer's flavor, and there's a particular light sweetness on the finish and aftertaste, reminiscent of white wine - yep, there's the chardonnay barrels making an appearance. I like the lingering sweetness on the tongue.

In the end, very pleasant and drinkable. While it's not unique or wildly different, in the end it's a good, well-balanced ale that's fresh and tasty. I like the biscuit quality of it a lot and the chardonnay influence provides a little bit of white wine sweetness which adds a lot to the experience. Overall, it's a refreshing spring beer that I would buy again. It's available at Whole Foods in bombers for $10.99, and I've also seen it on draft at various places. It's worth a try for sure.