Derogation

Derogation by Hidden Cove Brewing is described as a sour golden ale aged in Hungarian oak red wine barrels with Alicante wine grapes, which puts it under the Wild Specialty Ale per BJCP 2015 Category 28C. It falls under this category due to its generic base description and use of wood & fruit — both of which are very noticeable.

This beer pours a reddish color with a purple tinge, minor haze, and a fleeting off-white head that dissipates as quickly as it forms. Its color and aroma are both reminiscent of a red wine sangria with a sweet fruity character (grape, berry) with plenty of red wine barrel character showing some rich caramel, vanilla & oak. There is some sourness in the aroma, but it’s fairly low.

The flavor is similar, with even more intense red wine character similar to that of merlot with some tannins and sweet fruit (black grapes, blackberry, cherry, blueberry). The sourness is also higher, but still pretty mild, like that of a cherry Greek yogurt. The similarities to red wine also carry into the mouthfeel where tannins from the barrels & grapes add to the body and the carbonation is nearly still. The level of red wine character in this beer is so impressive its almost closer to a carbonated merlot than beer. The only downside is all this character overwhelms the base beer, rather than builds on it. However, the outcome is so tasty it’s not hard to overlook this.