Cascade Brewing 2015 Project ‘The Vine’ BA Sour Ale

Rating:

56770686_1068160163368128_6516453324999360512_n“This Northwest Style Sour Ale is a blend of soured Triple, Blonde Quad and Golden ales that have been refermented with the fresh pressed juice of white wine grapes. The beer spent more than six months of lactic fermentation and aging in small oak barrels.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Hazy golden orange complexion with a fast fading head. It fizzes away completely with no lace to be seen.

Aroma: Smells super fruity…lots of lemon and lime, pomelo, unripened apricot, rockmelon and white grapes. The latter forming more of a vinous accent as it settles in the glass. There’s also a lovely crisp and tart funk which is balanced extremely well by the musty oak tannins. Just a subtle hint of that candy-esque sherbet coming through too. Superb!

Flavour: Sharp, zippy and bursting with a tart and acetic line of sourness. Quite vinous like a young Sauv blanc with its lime and green apple characteristics. A hint of candied peach developing late as it finishes with mildly tart citrus and subtle musty oak on the close.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, fairly light and mineraly. The 10.1% AbV is incredibly well hidden. Pucker rating…a sturdy 4/5.

Overall: We truly believe these guys are America’s answer to Cantillon. What an exquisite drop! So well balanced yet absolutely jam packed with flavour and aroma. Sensational.