As part of our first ever “Lancaster area” tasting, Andrew graciously opened two 375 ml bottles of Captain Lawrence’s Hops N’ Roses for my birthday. Not part of our planned line-up, Hops N’ Roses is a “malt sour ale brewed with a veritable bouquet of flowers–including hibiscus, rose hips and elderflowers” according to Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
The famous, and relatively young, The Bruery in California make some of my favorite beers I’ve tried to date. Thanks to Scott, I’m able to try another recent release, Filmishmish – a 5.8% ABV American Wild Ale made with apricots and aged in oak barrels. Their Wild Ale/sour program has been nothing but impressive lately, so I’m hoping Filmishmish follows suit.
When most craft beer drinkers think American Wild Ales, Russian River immediately comes to mind. Known for their expert use of barrel aging and wild yeast, the wild ales in their portfolio are top notch. Temptation is one of those, a blonde ale aged in French Oak Chardonnay barrels and fermented with brettanomyces and other spontaneous bacteria.
For Caitlyn and my two-year anniversary, I decided to open a special bottle sitting in my cellar, Duck-Duck-Gooze from The Lost Abbey. This American Wild Ale is said to be one of the absolute best ever produced in the United States. Its limited availability and high marks from craft beer enthusiasts alike make this one of those most sought after “sours” in recent years.
As one of my favorite breweries, The Bruery, I’m always searching out their new, limited and exotic beers. Recently I received their Mischief Gone Wild, dubbed an American Wild Ale though I beg to differ, from Scott in California. This is essentially their Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Mischief, fermented with Brettanomyces to give the beer a certain ‘funk’ character, typical of the yeast.
