Rhubarbebier

Rhubarbebier by Bozeman Brewing Co. is being evaluated as 33A Wood-Aged Beer. The base styles are Fruit Beer, 29A & Berliner Weisse, 23A. This is a Berliner Weisse with Rhubarb & Raspberry, aged in French Oak Barrels. With that out of the way, the beer pours petillant into the glass, a pale blush color with good clarity and no head. The nose is really quite fresh and raspberry-forward with a subtle yogurt and vegetal rhubarb note. A really pleasant and clean nose showcases the lactic notes and fruit well. I get subtle vanilla notes as well. On tasting, it’s quite tart, with a hint of acetic acid hiding in the layered fruit and lactic acid. More carbonation would help to lift this off of the palate. While the name certainly brings up rhubarb, the beer itself shows more of the raspberry, I’d say. The oak is also quite subtle. Low levels of sweetness blend into the finish as well. If this had more conditioning, it would probably help a lot to carry the beer across the palate and add structure. As it stands, a pleasant expression of raspberry, but I find the rhubarb a bit lacking.