Vintage 2013

The beer pours a medium-brown color with very good clarity and a beautiful beige head of long-lasting, compact bubbles. It's a very pleasing beer to the eye. The aroma is quite complex, with a bit of sour cherry, some sweet and subtle caramel malt tones, a light earthy and woody character, some low malt vinegar and a very subtle leather aroma. The flavor is very appealing and loaded with complexity. It is in no way muddled or disjointed. For a Flanders Red, this is borderline perfect. I love the juicy dark fruit, the tart cherry, the soft yet sweet malt and there is just enough bitterness to help balance some of the sourness. The balance is like an even swirl of malt, hop bitterness and light sour funk. The fermentation character is obviously evident, but it's well aged and melds well with the rest of the beer. I am honestly very impressed with this beer and can't wait for the reveal. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, well-carbonated and smooth as silk. I've had my share of sours and the classics like Duchesse De Bourgogne are still among my favorites; this beer is right up there with those style archetypes. I can't think of a single thing about this beer I would change, other than the light leather character I got in the aroma. Even that was mild and easy to look past. If you are a fan of sours, Flanders Reds or Browns in particular, you need to find this beer.