Luciernaga The Firefly

Tasted with Justin, Adam and Tim on Friday night; enjoying the start of the weekend! Thanks Justin Brooks for bringing this brew to taste.

Appearance: Gracious head due to strong carbonation. Extremely hazy and cloudy, with yeast or hop particles floating and settling at the bottom of the glass. Golden hue with a tint of amber.
Aroma: As you can expect with a sour beer, the lactobacilis sour aroma is ever present. Yet, you can tell from the aroma that it is dry rather than sweet. Slight undertones of herbal and spicy notes finish out the aroma.
Taste: Flavor upfront has that sour pungency, but is quickly complimented by other flavors. Spicy on the palate; nice complement to the malts and sourness of the lactobacilis. Herbal and bitterness from hops become apparent at the finish, rounding out the flavor. No noticeable presence of fruit.
Mouthfeel: Carbonation is really intense, upon opening the brew spews out, getting all over the table before we can get it in a glass. Once settled, the carbonation still spikes the tongue, but keeps a light mouthfeel. Slight aftertaste from the bitterness of the hops; hangs on the roof of the mouth and back of the tongue.
Overall Impression: This is a middle of the road sour beer. Not much by way of a body. There is a balance between the sour flavors and other complimenting spices that help mask the tartness. Good one to start with if you are not familiar or used to sour beers since it is not overpowering.

Bam Biere Farmhouse Ale

Thanks to the sales reps at The Abu Nawas Beverage company for giving me a bottle of this while at the Brrr Fest in Coralville/Iowa City, IA. Tasted Thursday evening following a run and our customer appreciation party down at the brewery. Pint glass served.

Appearance: Golden, Bright and bubbly. The carbonation is extremely strong, erupting from the base of the glass in a confused upside-down flurry of bubbles. Relatively clear because the first pint had no contact with the dreggs at the bottom of the bottle. The head is fantastically sustained with a peaked stature and a white color. Soapy, but dense and dry.

Aroma: Lemony, and zesty, but with a faint kombucha/ vinegary scent. I'd say there is more of a corn and lime smell overall. Very aromatic.
Taste: The front is rather woodsy. By the midtaste there is a tang, similar to the kvass I made. Sharp and crisp collaboration of lime zest with citrus (lemon) and herbal hops. Faint bitterness from hops rounds out the flavor and leaves the palate feeling clean, yet has a slight drying effect. The tartness, though tangy and refreshing, has a similar to green apples which could indicate di-methyl sulfide in the brew.
Mouthfeel: A bit thin in body with very active carbonation which gives it a light, refreshing quality. Hardly any aftertaste is left to critique, as the beer finishes rather clean. Spritzy, bubbly and refreshing!
Overall Impression: Interesting escape from the common styles we have been trying as of late. I'd say this beer represents a Kvass or Kombucha dry hopped with the addition of a bit of lemon juice. I've had extreme difficulty reviewing this beer, and it's certainly for those who are familiar with the style or have been raised on beverages similar to this. For me? I cannot.