750 mL, corked & caged from Brawley’s, Charlotte, NC. 2009 vintage, $19.99.
No hint of a pop on opening.
Pour gives some more head than I was expecting but no lace and only a thin film is left behind after a couple of minutes. The body is a light, chestnut brown color and lacks much hint of red that a few others seem to have mentioned.
Nose gives plenty of sinus clearing, fruity acidity – as expected.
Tastes reflect the nose but with a touch more aggression and more residual drying effects from the oak. I like the carbonation which seems to add some life to the beer. A bit higher than normal for the style, and it brings a touch of CO2 into the taste – I like that.
Pretty solid example although I think that there are beers that offer a lot more subtlety even within/considering the style. This lends a typical, in your face American approach which grates on me after a while. The acid is a bit all over the place, and crashes into me a little too much to suggest refinement.
Cherry elements are hardly present at all for me.