Though feeling a bit under the weather, a tasting of wild ales is sure to draw me near, and so I headed to the Jug Shop in San Francisco for a tasting of 15 such beers. Smaller, more intimate group this time and lots of conversations sparked regarding the beers. Starting off with the pricey 2011 Allagash Confluence from Maine, which had beautiful slightly tangy aromatics and tasted bright chipper and pointed, rustic, hearty and earthy. Absolutely outstanding. Dryhopped and with the hop essences there evidently not best to age, but expensive and worth every penny at the moment. Moving south to Florida, the Saint Somewhere Pays du Soliel had perhaps a year of age on it and had a funky, cheesy aroma with some tangy vinegar in there. Sweet and gooey, yet still tangy on the palate. I can't say I loved this beer, but I did find it very interesting. A recent arrival to the beerscene, the Anchorage Whiteout Wit received one of the most adoring receptions from the tasters. Nose of nothing but sulphur does blow off, and what is underneath is awesome, bright chipper and clean, fantastic grip and the Sorachi Ace hop showing its beautiful colors. Evidently a take on the Witbier style but with some brettanomyces and aged in chardonnay barrels. Absolutely incredible beer.
Starting an eagerly awaited long line of Jolly Pumpkin beers, the Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca continued with the Witbier theme. Layered and vegetal, the nose is kicking, and the taste is light and rounded, somewhat tart, reminds me of pebbles. Though it's actually a bit rich at the moment, the focus is superb, and I find it to be candy I love. And I strongly suspect that candy will be completely consumed after 6 months when that tartness I love will come more to the fore. Moving onto the farmhouse style, the Jolly Pumpkin Bam Bière had a darker, earthier and stinkier nose, and screamed the same on the taste with plenty of tart cherry and unripe grape. Cleansing.
Then onto a vertical side-by-side comparison between the 2011 and 2010 Luciérnaga. The 2011 Jolly Pumpkin Luciérnaga (bottled 11 June 2011) was very earthy and explosively juicy, young and vibrant on the palate. Quite delicious. The 2010 Jolly Pumpkin Luciérnaga (bottled 14 May 2010) was way more mineral, and bigger and fluffier in the mouth. Felt much less focused and less pleasant than the 2010. A very interesting comparison. One of my favorites, but garnering a mixed review around the room, was the Flemish-red inspired Jolly Pumpkin La Roja. Tangy dark cherry vinegar, tasting clean and bright, quite a grip, quite refreshing, uberdrinkable, hard to believe it is 7.2%. The 2010 Jolly Pumpkin Bam Noire looks dark and smells of dark roasted chesnuts and sneakers! Frothy and roasty, it comes off as light and elegant. Very much a presence beer. The 2010 Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial smells spiced: cinnamon, orange, coconut. Feels hot and big to me. Not my favorite, but others loved the spiciness and didn't notice the hotness that I did.
From one great brewer to another, the Russian River Consecration, which incorporates currants and is aged in oak barrels, is dark, raisined and heavy. Not my style. Very liqueuresque. The Russian River Temptation is aged in chardonnay barrels with brettanomyces and quite a layered nose of funk to it. The nose offers plenty of depth, but, at the moment, is a much harder beer to read on the palate. Very squarish and ungiving, inward and tart. Feels like it needs time. The Russian River Supplication (a brown ale aged in pinot noir barrels incorporates cherries, brettanomyces, lactobacillus and pediococcus). Much more tart acetic-vinegar quality to the nose, leavened and heavy. Taste integrated, cherried, tightly bound, much more elegant yet still has an element of mutedness that the Temptation also had. Amazing. Finally, almost to finish things off, the New Belgium La Folie smells of tart sour grapes and a bit musty and earthy, and tastes dirty/earthy, focused and delicious. I liked it quite a lot.
Then came the bonus tastes, first the 2009 Cascade Kriek, which certainly had elements that reminded me of a Flemish Oud Bruin, and some toasted brown sugar, tart, pointed, unforgiving and very interesting. This is a very direct approach. Finally from Switzerland, the L’Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru which is aged in rum cask. Very layered nose, certainly boozy. Feels like root beer barrel candy, quite delicious, but not sure how much of this I can drink. At this point, I'm well on my way and off to begin the weekend, of sorts.