Cascade Brewing Cranberry (2015) American Wild Ale at 6.9% ABV (C$28.88 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 16-Mar-2016, reviewed 13-Aug-2019)
Appearance: pink/peach pale amber with one finger of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin persistent cap and ring, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tart citrus, funky green apple, field berries, oak tannins, cranberry. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, tart mildly warming finish. (4/5)
For me, the dominant note here is more green apple and field berry than cranberry, which I get mostly in the finish. However, it’s still a well-balanced wild with pleasant complexity. Despite the fact that I’m a big fan of funk, I can appreciate the way in which it’s restrained to good effect in this case – the cranberry is mild enough as it is, without being completely overwhelmed by wet horse blanket. (More and more, though, I find myself questioning whether these types of beer really justify the premium price they command – not that I care at all about cost, but because there are so many other great examples of other styles out there for so very much less money.) But, ignoring price, this is certainly an enjoyable sipper. (16/20)
8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
