Almanac "Farm to Barrel Vanilla Cherry Dogpatch" Wild Ale

I have avoided sour beers, as I have put them in the category of things that hipsters are really trying to make happen, and I just don't want to befoul my mouth with a concoction like HiCu ever again. The fact is - I know sours have gained in popularity, and a sizable portion of the good beer section of my favorite beer store is starting to be taken up by them, so I need to give them a chance, right?

There's a red cast to the very clear amber beer that has absolutely no damn head at all. It's not flat - the head was like seltzer water with the way it popped up while being poured and then disappeared right back into the liquid. The aroma is stringent with the sour cherries and stems all up in my face with the smell of something that has been aged in oak and mixed with some fermented grapes.

First sip is damn sour nonsense to the point that I don't want more. It definitely has a wine backing, but those sour cherries are taking all the fun out of beer. Why must they do this? Why must sadness enter my world through a bowl of sour cherries and befoul the name that is "beer"?

Tip-in is sour damn cherries with that wine and a little oak backing it up. The middle is just a horrid wash of hatred and ineptitude. Screw this noise - I'm not going to continue this charade. I thought I could do a calm, objective review of a sour beer, but I have been disabused of that notion entirely. This is crap. It is just crap.

Bottom Line: Noxious, vile liquid from people who hate me.

0.0/5