Judge’s Review: 94 Rating – Fruited Spontanée by pFriem Family Brewers

Wild Specialty Beer | Limited Release | USA

By Scott Birdwell

Judges Rating: 94.00
Aroma: 23.00
Appearance: 5.00
Flavor: 38.00
Mouthfeel: 9.00
Overall Impression: 19.00

Fruited Spontanée by pFriem Family Brewers is described on the brewery’s website as “a wild beer that highlights the beauty of coolship fermentation, with raspberries and cherries taking center stage. Native yeasts captured in the coolship bring spontaneous fermentation to life, while aging in oak barrels enhances the beer’s depth.” I am scoring this as a 28C, Wild Specialty Beer. This corked 375-ml bottle poured an explosion of vivid red in the glass. There is no mistaking the raspberries and cherries that have been used in the making of this beer. The fruit is very prominent in the nose. Those sour notes are not far behind. Don’t waste much time looking for malt and/or hops in the aroma. Forget about it! The color is almost “DayGlo” red. A faint haze is apparent, and almost no head retention to speak of (not unusual for sour beers).
The impact on the palate is immediate! A melange of tart, tart, tart and fruit! It’s nothing short of amazing! Malt and hops don’t play a big role here, and I’m not concerned about the balance. The malt is merely a vehicle to deliver the fruit. The hops, what little there are, are merely a low-level natural preservative. This wild ale is tangy from first sip to finish, but I’m not worried about damaging the enamel on my teeth!
The body is medium, not surprising as this beer comes in at a modest 5.7% ABV. It is well carbonated, perhaps somewhat deceptive as there is no semblance of head retention (as if I care!). Don’t look for alcoholic burn or creaminess here. It’s a waste of time. The beer is tart, but that tartness doesn’t linger. No astringency. 
Overall, what can I say? This is a tart and tangy fruit bomb, and I love it! The tartness is not excessive and makes for an extremely pleasant, thirst-quenching beverage.