Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Wisconsin Belgian Red

Thanks to Joshua Schipp for saving this beer for a tasting on Saturday night alongside Dogfish Head's FORT.
Served with a slight Chill.
4% ABV

Appearance: Tasted in a brandy snifter (like the bottle said) A rich ruby red color right at the pour. Deeper in the glass. No head, but extremely clear in color, hardly any carbonation occurring within, making the beer look very still.
Aroma: Cough drop scent, but more naturally. Cherry soda to the max! Overripened cherries and a lot of sweet and sour smells.
Taste: Cherry soda sweetness with a natural tartness. I see both dark and sour cherries being used in this beer. The tart spike hits around the midtaste with the introduction of the carbonation, but where you expect it to blossom, it fades. Nevertheless the beer takes on a delicate tartness with a cherry jam/syrup sweetness or concentrate. The end tastes a bit watery. Lambic with the cherries. I think the fruit flavor masks all that could have been attained through the beer/Belgian portion of the ale.
Mouthfeel: Large sweetened syrupy body. A very subtle carbonation to match the tart. And to think the alcohol only sits at 4% ABV, I'd say that the a lot of the sweetness went under attenuated to preserve that sweet flavor to back up the cherry tartness. Sticky to the lips.
Overall Impression: It's unfortunate the taste of medicine has riddled the taste of cherries. We tasted this following the Dogfish Head Fort, and this was ten times more fruity, but ten times less alcohol as well! Huge cherry flavor matched by no other beer I've had. I think this is for anyone to try on any occasion (especially women). It was difficult to say much more about this beer besides...cherry!

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