If you said that this beer is the color of wheat - with all the shades that entails - I wouldn't fault you. The stark white head is quite voluminous, even though I took great pains to try and dribble the beer slowly down the side of the glass. The lacing is thick and patchy, and the haze is a clear indication that this was bottle conditioned because they love me. The aroma is thick Belgian yeast with a heavy handed helping of grains.First sip causes me to look at the bottle. Yes, I missed that this was aged in a chardonnay barrel. I definitely get the dry character of the wine, but it isn't overpowering the thick yeast and grains of the beer. It manages to be both sweet and dry at the same time, and the strange combination is something I could probably enjoy through to the bottom of the bottle, but I'm not just going to sit here and sip, am I?
Tip-in is fruity with a definite carbonation burn right on the tip of the tongue. The yeast is asserting itself, but the wine is kind of subdued. The middle is more grains with peaches and pears highlighting the gentle carbonation caress - it is somehow both crisp and smooth in the middle. Then the finish brings a hit of dry wine, alcohol, and more grains. The trail off folds back to fruity.
Bottom Line: Complex and clever, this is a good one to try, but it may be a bit much for an everyday beer.
3.25/5
