Great pop on opening the corked & caged, 375 mL bottle.

Pour is as expected, with a dark brown body and a smallish, fast fading head. Lace is minimal.

The nose immediately gives the mid-level vinegar aroma that I was expecting. It is persistent, but largely in line with my expectations and the style.

The beer delivers what I would call the perfect light sourness and easy going funkiness. Both are strong enough for you to know EXACTLY what you are getting into, but both are also controlled enough to work perfectly within the parameters of such a beer. I would NOT say that the beer is subtle in its funk, but at the same time it all seems measured, under control; the beast, tamed.

Some sweet and sour notes down the bottle. This gives a lovely balance to the beer but with NEVER giving any degree of compromise. This is a beer with presence but one that never requires one to step back. The dark malts are present early, but they do not bring much roast – I’m glad!

As it warms even more complexity comes through. It isn’t until I get further down the bottle that those cherry notes come through, but when they do they hit home. No rye for me, and that’s a good thing.

For me the tartness is not as strong as advertised, but frankly that doesn’t detract from the beer, rather it enhances the balance.

A light prickle in the mouthfeel helps to accentuate everything.

Yes, it’s good, it’s balanced and the beer drinks beautifully now – in the future, it might be spectacular.

Bottled June 16th, 2014.