Redwood

Brewery: Wild Beer Co.

Supplier: Kris Wines

I decided to do a slightly special one as I've just reached the quarter mark of my PhD, with my review submitted. This is a sour red ale the is made with locally foraged berries, it is an annual beer made in the autumn and left to age for a year . The edition I am drinking is the first, released in 2014 made with sloes, blackberries, elderberries, rosehips and many others foraged in 2013; it was when aged in the second use of Modus Operandi barrels, along with some Burgundy red wine barrels and some Scotch Whisky barrels. I served this chilled.

Appearance: Brown and opaque with a rusty hint around the edges when held to the light. The is a thin, slightly brown, head that dissipates quickly.

Aroma: Some nice subtle sour and balsamic notes with hints of berries in the back.

Flavour: Quite complex, with some red berry notes - that change with every sip - in the front coupled with hints of caramel malts. This leads into the sourness in the back, with a little saltiness. There is also an underlying oak note throughout.

Body: A medium body; not fizzy at all, which is not a bad thing for this style. 

Aftertaste: This may sound weird but there are some cola notes coupled with some tartness and a little bitterness from the wood. There are also some earwax notes, which is unfortunate.

Overall: Therefore this gets a rating of 6, very complex but not as tasty as I was expecting, and the complexity actually detracts from the fruity notes.

Price Range: £3.60 for a 330ml bottle, quite a good price for a complex beer. Don't think I would get this edition again, but I would get the others when they come up.

Food Pairings: A selection of strong, sharp cheeses.