Brothel Madam

This beer was given to me as a BJCP category 28 C., Barrel Aged American Sour Ale on raspberries and cranberries.

The appearance of the beer is a light pink blush color and is very clear. It’s a good looking fruited beer to say the least. It poured a low fizzy white head with very low persistence. The aroma is nice, and smells of cranberry with a medium-low Brett character. There is a lightly sour aroma to the beer, potentially from raspberries, but most likely from souring bacteria. I do get a very noticeable vinegar aroma in our bottle, which is a generally considered a fault in some sours. Since this is a specialty you can look past it, but does seem out of place compared to the other components. The flavor closely matches the aroma with the same cranberry and light raspberry flavor. The bitterness is medium-low with a moderate peppery-like flavor. There is also an oddly vinegar tart flavor that seems slightly out of place. The balance is leaning on the fruit, mostly the cranberry in my flavor perception. The beer does finish nice and dry. The mouthfeel is light with no real creamy impression nor alcohol warmth. There is a light tannic astringency, but it’s okay in some barrel aged beers.

All in all it’s probably not the best barrel aged fruited sour I’ve had, but its solid none-the-less. I would order it on tap if it were offered up somewhere. I’m not sure I would have more than one glass though.