Hangar 24 Craft Brewery Chandelle
What the brewers say
“Our blonde ale is aged for a year in white-wine barrels with our house sour- ing culture. Then we add fresh apricots. The tart flavors and aromas of the fresh fruit balance the sour base.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Lactic acid up front with some subtle apricot notes, but lactic tartness is front and center with very little else coming through. Light mercaptan/ sulfur, pineapple, plum buoyed by a light maltiness. Brett character is nice—a little earthy and funky.”
Flavor: “Lots of lactic acid and tartness up front with just a subtle hint of apricot fruit and sweetness to balance. Very light pineapple, mouth-puckering lemon sour. Body is a tad light. Nice leathery Brett frames the sour. Long-lingering lactic with a touch of apricot. High carbonation provides a warmth in the finish.”
Overall: “Good apricot sour with the lambic/sour characteristic being dominant and the apricot playing a more supportive role. As it warms, the apricot becomes more apparent, but still in a supporting role. If you like really sour you would enjoy the bold flavors in this beer.”