Batch 002, thanks go out to the “groovy one” for the chance to try this.
Corked and caged, 375 mL, olive green bottle.
Poured into the Urthel Bock goblet, the color is as advertised with a light, golden body and a degree of haziness. The head is not really present to any degree as it dissipates to large, well formed bubbles on the collar.
The nose delivers that expected very light, acidic funk, but to be honest it is more subtle than I expected. Green apples.
More green apples greet the palate but this is overtaken almost immediately by a colossal sourness. Interesting because it is difficult to imagine a beer more sour than this, but at the same time it is not THAT astringent. Yes there is the POWER of vinegar, but not the taste. Wave after wave of grassy notes combine to give a delightful hay and manure experience.
Once again I must say that this beer is simply NOT a new thing. Anyone who has experienced DRY, Scrumpy, farmhouse cider served at the source in Devon and Somerset KNOWS this taste and this experience pretty much to a fault. It IS true that these beers deliver a degree of sourness that one normally doesn’t find in the farmhouse ciders, and that the fruity apple note is missing, but essentially they are born of the same beast.
375 mL seems about the right serving size, much more and it would be a struggle. I might even split this one between two. It’s a superb example of the style, but not for the inexperienced. Helps if you grew up on the Devon/Somerset border like I did!