The Ale Apothecary El Cuatro American Wild Ale at 9.72% ABV (C$47.48 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, bottle date 8-Apr-2016, acquired 13-Oct-2016, reviewed 17-Apr-2017)
Appearance: clear medium amber with one finger of fizzy off-white head settling to a thin ring, minimal lacing. (4/5) Aroma: complex, white grape must, stone fruit, caramel, oak, malt vinegar, earthy funk. (9/10) Taste: moderate-high tart, moderate sweet, low bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, lively carbonation, short tart finish. (4/5)
An interesting and elegant beer, reminiscent of a Gueuze or a Flemish Brown in its flavours. The aroma is pleasantly complex, with a combination of fruit, barrel, and vinegar notes. I find it just slightly aggressive on the tongue, with perhaps a hair too much emphasis on the vinegary tartness. Having said that, I suspect I’d find it too sweet if it weren’t quite so tart, so there’s that. Extremely good, and able to stand alongside some of the best – but truly, stupidly, expensive. (17/20)
8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
