On tap at Ambulance, rare oak-aged sour ale (2015) allows vinous green grape tannins, ephemeral lemon rind acidity and wispy oaken cherry tartness to gather above reedy straw leathering. Pithy lemon-spiced orange rind bittering and tangy pineapple-peach-mango subtlety create sour-candied pucker at finish.
Resplendent pear-juiced sour ale reaches eye-squinting green grape vinegaring as lemon-juiced mouth pucker sedates mild pear adjunct. Dissipating unripe pear tartness picks up leathery barnyard acridity, cider-soured Granny Smith apple piquancy and raspberry vinaigrette lilt as well. Initial pear sweetness swallowed up quickly by bitter bacterial acidity. Perfect for sour heads.
Engrossingly ‘funky dark sour ale’ aged in stainless steel red wine barrels crosses an oaken cherry-derived Flemish Red Ale with an equally tart Oud Bruin. Light brettanomyces bacteria provides leathery barnyard musk for vinous red grape tannins and lemony balsamic vinegaring. Dark Munich malt glop eaten up by persistent moderate acidity. Mellow cranberry, goosberry, raspberry and cranberry souring guards the earthen tobacco-dried back end. Fairly complex and velvety smooth ‘wild ale’ stays tame enough for lighter thirsts.
On tap at Ambulance, eye-squinting amber-coppered sour ale boosts oaken cherry tartness above cider-like balsamic vinegaring and lemon-juiced green grape esters. Syrupy Italian Amarena cherries bring bitter acidity to the fore while light caramel malting offers distant sweetness.
On tap at One Mile House. Spreading lactic brettanomyces yeast all over its tart lemon-limed cranberry souring, mild summertime ‘wild ale’ picks up leathery barnyard funk as salty desiccation overruns barren cranberry juicing. Light green grape esters aid overall sourness.
On tap at Ambulance, inviting oak-aged sour ale brings mildly vinous wining to dry barnyard leathering and ‘cherry pie’ souring, maintaining large head retention. Tannic grape pucker never gets oppressive, allowing crossover possibilities for more mainstream thirsts. Dark purple grape-skinned pinot noir tones scurry across pinkish blush rosé snips and black grape-skinned zinfandel notions as well as tart plum, quince and berry wisps.
Approachable ‘slightly sour ale’ (with pleasant lactic acidity) connects lemon-limed oaken cherry tartness to orange-dried raspberry rasp and musty cat-pissed white grape vinousness above light white wheat spine. Serve to tender-hearted pinot grigio fans.
Approachable oak-aged sour ale brewed in collaboration with famed Kansas City chef (circa 2015) proves fruitful. Sweet ‘n soured mango and tamarind adjuncts pick up tart Granny Smith apple pucker, oaken cherry subtlety, spicy mustard twang and raspberry vinaigrette smidge above musty earthen yeast fungi. Lime-dried papaya, pineapple, peach and guava nuances waver. Elegant soft-toned moderation will appeal to expansive mainstream thrists as well as less restrictive sour heads.
On tap at Growler & Gill, light-bodied golden ale brings sour brettanomyces yeast funk to oak-parched lemon souring and soft hop bittering. Yellow grapefruit, apricot and fig fruiting picks up light green grape vinegaring. Polite red wheat malting creates thin bread crust base.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, polite Chardonnay-soured Bahl Hornin’ Mowkeef Saison uses wild yeast to accentuate dry white-wined vinegaring, lemony limestone acridity and oaken vanilla phenols. At mouth-puckering finish, lilting rosé and pinot gris illusions as well as tertiary raspberry-cranberry tartness pickup hay-seeded barnyard rusticity.
Approachable wild ale brings light brettanomyces funk to sour green grape and Granny Smith apple pucker. Delicate mango, guava and papaya tartness hidden by earthen barnyard astringency (and light herbal touch). Sugared malt spicing, usually lacking in sour ales, provides mild contrast. Easygoing crossover will please lighter conventional ale thirsts since the acidic sourness is never overdone.
On tap at Ambulance, delicate wild ale spontaneously soured with Seyval Blanc white grapes in red wine barrels retains soft-toned nature despite terse mouth-puckering acidity. Sour grape esters settle beside lemon-juiced cherry vinaigrette and Granny Smith apple tartness. Briny sea salting increases sharp sourness at wispy white-wined finish.