Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Kiwami Plum Sour Sour / Wild Ale at 6.3% ABV | 7 IBU (C$9.50 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, bottle date 1-Apr-2016, acquired 19-Aug-2016, reviewed 3-Oct-2016)
Appearance: opaque pale amber with one finger of fizzy off-white head settling gradually to a persistent creamy cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: red grape must, stone fruit, lactic, wheat malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate tart, low/no bitter. (6/10) Medium-light slightly creamy body, moderate carbonation, off-dry tart medium duration finish. (3/5)
A bit of a strange beer, that starts off smelling like red grape must, but tastes and finishes like pureed fruit baby food (peaches, maybe, more than plums). On the up side, the sweetness is actually more restrained than initially apparent, dropping off rapidly and leaving an off-dry, slightly astringent mouth feel. Not a lot of complexity, and I wasn’t the least bit surprised to see it was a kettle sour. Credit where credit is due for using real plums, but that doesn’t save this thing from the doldrums of mediocrity. If a traditional barrel-aged sour is a symphony of flavour, this is a kazoo. Playing the Circus Theme. (12/20)
6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
