Perennial Artisan Ales Devil's Heart of Gold

Aroma: “Barrel is up front along with some harsh alcohol. Underlying milk chocolate and sticky toffee, raisins, coffee, dates, vanilla, caramel, and toast. There’s a fun wheat sweetness, that is almost grassy and smoky.” Flavor: “Quite sweet with more caramel and toffee malt character coming through in the flavor. The wood shines through on the finish with some tannins. Alcohol is present at the middle and back giving it a very warming effect with a hint of pineapple.” Overall: “A whiskey-forward wheat wine. Good whiskey oak characteristics supporting the somewhat boozy wheat base. There’s a touch of smoky character that enhances the barrel character throughout.”

__Aroma:__ “All the berries: blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, and cherry, with some floral notes and underripe fruit esters. Hint of lemon, wet hay, and herbs. Light *Brett* funk and slight sourness. Very delicate aroma.” __Flavor:__ “Rich, tart berry esters, especially lots of blackberry and raspberry. The raspberry has a cooked quality and is rich, tart, and slightly short of ripe. The sweetness from the malt and the fruits supports the sourness—it’s like a Pop-Tart with a hint of lemon. The *Brett* character is stronger here, with notes of leather and woodiness, along with the funk. Bright floral notes shine through, along with more of the complex esters.” __Overall:__ “The interesting berry characters worked well with the underlying earthy funk. The fruitiness, sweetness, and acidity work well in balance, making the beer very drinkable. Overall, the effect is inviting and drinkable, making the beer an excellent beer to cleanse the palate with at the end of a meal.”

“Aroma is intense, rich, vinous booze but has layers of definitively beer-like honey-tinged sweetness. Even the spicy aromas are complex. Gooey raisins and sticky dates. The roasted character comes in with loads of brownie batter, blackberries, bourbon, and a hint of cinnamon and black pepper at the finish. Port and sherry alcohol lingers through the finish. Nothing singular.”