Wild Rose Brewery Rare Brewer’s Select Oud Bruin Oud Bruin at 6.2% | 15 IBU ABV (C$11.60 at Crowfoot Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, packaged on 2-Feb-2017, acquired 23-Feb-2017, reviewed 12-Aug-2018)
Appearance: clear brown with a short fizzy beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: complex, red wine and balsamic vinegars, cherry, oak, raspberry, caramel. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-high carbonation, off-dry crisp mildly warming finish. (4/5)
The label says cherries, raspberries, and saskatoon berries, but I can’t say I’m actually getting any of the saskatoons – maybe just the merest hint, in the finish (though I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have identified that on my own, and I used to have my own saskatoon bushes). Overall, it’s a pretty decent Oud Bruin, with pleasant mildly acetic vinegar, red wine, and barrel notes in addition to the tart berries. (The guidelines say the mild sourness shouldn’t be vinegary, but I actually like it like this, so I might be ranking aroma and flavour just a titch high.) (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
