Judge's Review: 92 Rating - Irrationally Exuberant by Cape May Brewing Co.

Irrationally Exuberant by Cape May Brewing Co. is a Golden Sour Ale that was judged as a Wild Specialty Beer (BJCP sub-style 28C). In the glass it formed a thin white head without much retention atop a murky dark golden brew. The aroma was dominated by profound (probably lactic) sourness followed by slighter funky/barnyard notes. For the flavor profile tartness and sourness abounded with fainter funk, after which still fainter traces of malt and hops could be detected. The aging of this beer in red wine barrels produced another layer of profoundly enjoyable flavor.

The mouthfeel featured medium body and carbonation, and moderate alcohol warmth and astringency. Overall this beer had a pleasing complexity attributable to what seemed to be multiple souring agents as well as the effects of barrel-aging. Drinkability, enhanced by restraining the alcohol content while maximizing the more unusual and harder-to-produce flavors and aromas noted above, should be high among those who appreciate well-crafted beers prepared and aged as this one obviously was.