Avery Récolte Sauvage – Barrel-aged Series #11

From Avery Brewing – Récolte Sauvage, taking advantage of 150 gallons of Cabernet Sauvignon grape must for a quarter of the fermentables.  After naturally occurring wild yeasts from the harvested grape skins took care of fermentation, the beer spent 14 months aging in fresh Cabernet Sauvignon barrels.  With a quick nod to red wine, this 11.03% ABV red ale presents tastes of cherries, rich grapes and oak tannins.

Avery Brewing – Avery Récolte Sauvage – Barrel-aged Series #11 – 12 oz. bottle poured into a goblet. 11.03% abv.

Appearance: Pours ruby-red with a thin-film a top. Almost looks like cough syrup.

Aroma:  Sweet and spicy wine. Strawberry rhubarb pie.

Taste: Sweet wine, jam, wood.  Modest but noticeable tannins. Spicy and tart finish.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied,slightly syrupy.

Overall:  Very much a hybrid of beer and wine.  Very sweet and wine like with low sourness/tartness.  I enjoyed it for what it was, as I went in with no expectations.