The Grizzly Paw Brewing Company Sour Beer Big Head Nut Brown Sour Brown at 4.2% ABV ($4.79 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 341ml, no bottle date or best before)
Pours hazy amber brown with a short tan head settling down quickly to a dense cap, thin patchy lacing. (4/5) Nose is sour grapes, slightly musty oak, faint balsamic vinegar. (8/10) Taste is moderate sweet, mild bitter, moderately strong tart. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, crisp tangy finish. (4/5)
Well, I wasn’t expecting that! This drinks like a flemish brown – lots of sourness and a hint of umame. I can’t say I’ve found their other stuff to be all that memorable – I know I’ve tried, but not properly reviewed, some of it – but this is really interesting. I’d like to know what their process is here – I assume they’re adding pure culture in addition to the barrel aging, and that there’s no spontaneous or wild fermentation happening here. And there’s not a word about it anywhere on the internet. Bizarre. (16/20)
8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
