Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! Wild Ultra – American Wild Ale at 6.2% ABV (C$13.50 at Collective, 500 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 21-Mar-2023, reviewed 24-Mar-2023)
Appearance: hazy medium gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: stone fruit, barnyard funk, oak, pine. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly tart finish. (4/5)
The brewer calls this a mixed-fermentation sour IPA matured in oak barrels, but to me that just sounds like “American Wild” but with more syllables. I mean, it’s completely dominated by Brett funk and barrel notes, with almost no hop character – so, yeah, let’s just agree to drop the “IPA” designation on this one, shall we? And don’t get me wrong, that’s not a complaint: it’s a pleasantly funky offering, perhaps a little lacking in depth or complexity, and could stand to be a little more attenuated, but enjoyable nonetheless. Oh… I just burped, and there’s the hops. Too late, sticking with “Wild”. (16/20)
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8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
