DeStihl Brewery St. Dekkera Reserve: Pomme

**Aroma:** “Light ginger, honey floral, and vanilla notes balanced with very light pepper phenols, a bit of banana, and light pear. Some alcohol and a hint of solvent/acetone. Honey with malt notes and a bit yeasty in aroma.” **Flavor:** “Fruit forward, mild sweetness blends well, and slightly tart in finish. Touch of oak tannin and vanilla with a light lingering acidity and moderate sweetness. Light carbonation enhances mouthfeel. Wood is mild but gives a very nice balance plus coconut and banana esters. Light oak and semisweet honey finish with moderately high puckering tartness and light tannic drying that helps its structure.” **Overall:** “Good mead. This semisweet mead with touches of oak and citrus is just a bit heavy on the alcohol, perhaps due to yeast choice? Ale yeast comes through minutely with touches of phenols and fruity esters. It’s a spritzy, tart easy drinking beverage with nice fruitiness and balanced structure.”

**Aroma:** “Solid *Brett* aroma initially—woody, slight buttery notes. Tart, barnyard aroma notes up front. As it warms, there’s a slight fruitiness, similar to peach, or perhaps grapefruit. Touch of pineapple, light lemon, banana, and wheat.” **Flavor:** “Initial high tartness with a slight tea, herbal note that transitions into a smooth, creamy aftertaste. Hops bitterness is very low and doesn’t clash with sourness. Moderate citrus notes, similar to lime. As it warms the citrus becomes more grapefruit and lingers a bit in the aftertaste. Finishes dry with very little residual sweetness on the back of the tongue. Funk is more subtle in the flavor compared to the aroma. Aftertaste is medium lasting and is more herbal than anything.” **Overall:** “A very creative slightly herbal approach to sourness. Very enjoyable and drinkable—the secondary flavors of leather and earth are very subtle in this beer. Refreshing, crisp, and clean. Good with almost any food on a hot day. A solid sour that pleases the palate without overwhelming it.”

**Aroma:** “Very pleasant tropical fruit (pineapple, passion fruit) with some stone fruit (apricot) plays nicely with the acidity. Slightly floral, sweet, and citrusy with a hint of pepper character. Not as much Brett as other gueze.” **Flavor:** “Upfront mild earthy and spicy pepper character swells to a sharp lactic high point with spice notes hitting in the dry finish. Light pineapple, touch of cherry and plum, light caramel after-taste. Sharp tartness and acidity lingers, but subdued enough for subtle apricot and pineapple notes to peek through.” **Overall:** “Fun sour—displays complexity in the nose that doesn’t entirely follow through in the flavor. Tartness and acidity are a bit sharp, but not one-dimensional. Dry finish helps carry everything through and leave you wanting another sip. People unfamiliar with the style could still appreciate this because it’s not too funky.”