ADDED NOTES: 07/04/21 Jungle Jim’s, Cincinnati, OH, June 2021, $17.99.

This beer always surprises me. Generally, I’m not a huge fan of “sour” beer of any hue – with some exceptions (e.g., Duchess) – but this grows on me every time that I drink it. That sharp jolt of sour soon fades, and with two or three gulps I’m totally into it. For me, that sourness soon becomes bitterness, and its original classification on BA as a BPA holds up. Lots to appreciate here, and a beer that gains more respect from me each time I visit it. 13 years on, I’m still finding new things to love about it.

ORIGINAL NOTES: 07/18/2008

Picked this up as what appeared to be the very last bottle at Green’s on Ponce, Atlanta, GA, USA. I got lucky I guess, but being in Green’s as often as I am sometimes makes me lucky! Anyway, paper wrapped, 750 mL bottle, capped and corked. Brickstoredave told me a very limited amount made it to GA so I feel privileged.

Disappointing lack of “pop” on opening. I wasn’t expecting a HUGE bang, but given that this is categorized as a BPA rather than a Lambic, I thought that there would be a little more carbonation. Poured in to the Duvel tulip the body is a dark orange, murky concoction with a very scant head and no lace. Much more Lambic in the look than BPA – make of that what you will.

Nose has the requisite cider (West Country, England) funk. This gets better as the temperature increases. Finally gets to a delicious, mildly acidic, dry scrumpy feel. This is as close to an EXACT replica of a genuine Devonshire or Somerset farmhouse cider that I can remember in a beer. It’s also reminiscent of the dry Calvados based drinks of Northern France.

Drinkability is astonishing for me. 750 mL gone in NO time, and the ABV is not SO punishing that it hurts.

WOW – a beer that genuinely excites me; these are few and far between these days.