“Le Fut or the Barrel is a Flanders Red ale aged in Barrel for 2 years. Mouth wateringly sour and amazingly complex it was well worth the wait”
Served in a beer tulip. The attractive mahogany pour reveals edges of crimson when held to the light. A short beige head quickly retreats to an island of microbubble with next to no lace trails being left behind. Nice balance here on the nose. Definitely getting some citric acidity but it’s well countered by notes of vanilla, wood chips, vines and a soft mustiness. Undertones of ripe berries, cherry, crystallized sugars and raisin all offer an aromatic balance between sweet and sour that provide good bottom end and add that extra layer of complexity. The texture is actually quite light and palate-friendly with an initial short and sharp sourness that gradually tapers off. The body and Co2 is mild-medium which is finished by an effortless swallow. The sourness certainly crescendos early on. Hints of sour candied lemon and yeasty funk (probably more Brett than Lacto) ease in to soft oaky tannins and tart berries through the mid. A subtle red wine-like dryness in turn delivers a woody but ultimately fruity finish with assorted berries that last a lifetime time on the back palate. Incredible length on offer here. What we like about this is that the brewers haven’t overdone the sourness, it’s well contained and allows traditional flavours like oak and berries to play their integral role in the make up of this beer. We’ve noticed the shift to sour beers from 8 wired and in response we’ve been a little hesitant but this one they’ve nailed. We aren’t huge fans of sour beer so we must give credit to these master brewers.