Deschutes Brewery The Dissident (2016) – Sour Brown Ale (Flanders Oud Bruin) at 10.9% ABV | 16 IBU (US$15.99 at Specs Main Houston, 650 ml, packaged on 17-Oct-2016, acquired 8-Mar-2017, reviewed 14-Jun-2020)
Appearance: clear medium amber with a short, short-lived loose off-white head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: cherries, balsamic vinegar, dried dark fruit, leather, oak, caramel. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration warming slightly astringent finish. (4/5)
The Great Cellar Drink Down continues. What? I’m in quarantine in a (supposedly) sold house, so I can’t get anything fresh, and who knows how long my collection will go into a storage unit after we pack up here and find/build a new house – could be months, easily, subjected to wild temperature variations. No, better it end here, with dignity: cue the swelling orchestra.
I decided to do a vertical, newest to oldest, of the three vintages I’ve been cellaring for a few years – this being the second-oldest. Nearly identical to the newer, though perhaps slightly smoother. Like the newer, it’s not bad, but not the greatest of examples of the Oud Bruin style, with a slightly inappropriate sweet caramel, and slightly restrained balsamic vinegar. Again, I’m not getting a lot of indicia of the Brett, though the wine barrels are emphatically present. The high ABV is slightly better integrated, with very little burn present. Bottom line, an additional year has made this a little better, but not enough to bump the over-all score. (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
