Phillips Brewing Company Toothless Sour / Wild Ale at 4.7% ABV (C$6.35 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, best before 20-Feb-2017, acquired 13-Oct-2016, reviewed 13-Oct-2016)
Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber with one finger of short-lived fizzy white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: malt vinegar, spices, light vegetal pumpkin, faint burnt rubber. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, mild bitter. (5/10) Medium body, lively carbonation, short duration tart finish. (3/5)
Yeah, can’t say I’m surprised by this: it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that this would be one of the new crop of characterless lacto kettle sours, despite the fact that they barrel age the Crookeder. The vinegar lacto character nearly completely overwhelms both any pumpkin and associated pie spice that might otherwise have been present, while the frisson of burnt rubber was just the blah icing on the cake of mediocrity this thing was always going to be. Not as good as the Crooked I suspect this is based on. (11/20)
5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
