Crooked Stave Persica 2018

Aroma: “Subtle floral and perfume hops with moderate funk that reveals a little wood character, some vanilla, and a little citrus. There’s white-wine grape, some Brettanomyces, and wisps of stone fruit that feel fresh.” Flavor: “Lots of wild, mixed-fermentation flavors and a touch of musty complex earthiness mix well with the earthy and herbal hops flavor. Wood astringency is a bit intense, stone fruit and pear, moderate-high sour citrus pith. Bitterness lingers in the finish. The oak overshadows some of the more subtle contributions of malt, wild fermentation.” Overall: “Wine barrel intensity leads to a taste that borders on beer/wine hybrid, but it brings most of the pleasant aspects of each. Fruity, dry, and crisp like a nice chardonnay, but malty, funky, and tart enough that you know it’s not wine.”

The fruit really comes out in the flavor. It's fairly sweet initially, but that transitions into a strong sour. The fruit is big and seems genuine. The beer comes across a bit one- dimensional and reminds us of popsicles.

Aroma: “Moderate peach with hints of black pepper. Light lemon. Creamy aroma with a little burnt rubber coming out. Bright and perfumey.” Flavor: “High Brett funk leads. Sweet, light cream, phenols, fruits. A rustic malt character in the Bière de Garde vein. Adjuncts work in the favor of this beer, but are subtle and don’t immediately stand out as individual ingredients for a pleasant cohesion. Very dry and slightly herbal finish.” Overall: “Dry, light, and well-carbonated. Not as overtly tea-like as the ingredient list might suggest, thankfully. It’s cohesive.”