Destihl Christmas Pickle Sour Beer

Destihl Christmas Pickle Sour Beer.

5.2 % ABV, Destihl Brewery, Normal, IL. 

This post will be my 500th post of the year 2021. I have never done 500 posts in one year. (Has anyone?) And that will not be the end. I'll get to a few more in the next 4 days. And then I will try to slow it down some. Every single month, I did over 31 posts, sometimes as many as 51. That's a lot of beer in one year. (And yet, it's not all of them, somehow.There are plenty of beers that I try at taprooms, bars, festivals that don't get reviewed.) I should slow down. Not as young as I used to be. 

So, I will commemorate post 500 with a pickle beer, because, of course, why not. The first time I had a pickle beer was Deep Space Brine at Tin Whiskers last last summer (2020). Ed bought me a sample so I could try it, and yes, it tasted of pickle brine. Next up was from Urban Artifact, a beer called Xmas Pickle, which we sampled at work. What does Christmas have to do with pickles. I wondered. Well now I know.

My sister-in-law Laurie is the CFO of the Destihl Brewery and will always bring Destihl beers to our family holiday gathering when she and my brother Kevin attend. This year they brought along this beer, which was Laurie's idea. Hadn't I heard of the Christmas tradition that apparently some people have of hanging a Christmas pickle ornament on a Christmas tree and challenging others to find it?  No, I hadn't. 

So, they gave me a can and because those are my rules, I must review it and post it here. Here goes. 

Clearish, pickle-briney coloration, slim white head. 

In the nose: Pickle pops out, salt is noted on the side. 

In the mouth: Big, juicy pickle flavor right up front, all brine all the time. Then the tart comes along. Just a little juicy, and just enough tart. More salt comes through, as this is based on a Gose, though I'm not picking up any coriander. Light bodied and definitely drinkable, if you like that flavor. It's more pickle than it is sour, but it certainly does the trick. Knock yourselves out. I for one am glad they only gave me one. 

Brother Kevin decided that a miniature
pickle should join the beer in his glass.
I agreed and followed suit. Sister Jean
in the background is unaware of our
sacrilege.

Lupulin Key Lime Hypezig Gose

Lupulin Key Lime Hypezig Gose. With Key Lime, Vanilla, Coriander & Sea Salt. 

5 % ABV, 5 IBU, Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake, Mn. 

Mostly clear, bright light amber hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: I'm getting vanilla first, followed by a tartness, then salt. Here comes lime. Nicely rounded, balanced. 

In the mouth: Here's the sour, in the flower, with vanilla swiftly following on the palate. A tasty tango of sweet and sour. Lime flavor is coming on stronger now. Now we're getting the key lime flavor in full effect. Light bodied, no bitterness, merest malt, all key lime.  Not the sort of thing I'd turn to often, but well constructed, for sure. 

What's a hypezig, I wonder? Has it anything to do with Leipzig, the birthplace of the Gose style? Maybe somehow we will find out....

A slightly tart and very refreshing beer influenced by the German roots of Leipzig Goses, infused with key lime, vanilla, sea salt and coriander. Pucker up and enjoy the Hype!

Able Strawberry Rhubarb Sour

Able Strawberry Rhubarb Sour.

Able Brewing + Seedhouse, Minneapolis, MN. 

Clear, bright golden, hue, brief white head. 

In the nose: Hey, there's some strawberry...and it's mixed with rhubarb...plus, it's sour. What the heck, huh? 

In the mouth: Sweetness of strawberry hits the palate first, until rhubarb rushes in and the sour takes over. Light bodied, and clean, easy-drinking. Very refreshing. Only complaint I'd thrown out there is that it could use more of the rhubarb. A bit too much on the sweet side to really count as a sour. Okay, here's a little bit more, but, not quite enough. 

Warpigs Bouffant Jellyfish American Sour Ale

Warpigs Bouffant Jellyfish American Sour Ale. With passionfruit and pink guava added. 

5.5% ABV, 13 IBU.

What on earth is a bouffant jellyfish and why does it look like an eldritch elder god? Who cares, let’s have a beer....

Clear, bright golden, slim white head.

In the nose: tropical fruit and tart from the start. Sweet and sour, together at last.

In the mouth: ooo, big pucker. Tart and fruit do a tango on the palate. Light bodied, fruity, refreshing. Tasty little number, here. If tropical fruit sours are your thing, by all means. 

Emerging from the depths like a long forgotten playlist, but this beer is no nightmare. This tantalizing American Sour Ale is a dream come true

Three Floyds Secret Savages Watermelon Sour Ale

Three Floyds Secret Savages American Sour Ale Brewed with Watermelon. 

10.4 % ABV. Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, IN. 

Thoroughly clouded, pale crimson/amber coloring, slim white head. 

In the nose: Powerful fruit, powerful sour. Intensity fresh out of the gate. Sour is King, watermelon on the side, all covered up in funk. 

In the mouth: Ooo, weee! Fierce funk, outsized sour, with fresh fruity flavors coming in fast. Medium bodied, eding on full, at points nearly thick. Watermelon flavor is muddied up by the funk & the sour, but there's nothing wrong with that. It's a beautiful mess, and I'm glad that I tried it. I can't believe that it's delivering on the Imperial side, though. 10.4 %? For a sour? A watermelon sour? Okay,  Floyds, let your freak flag fly. 

Meet the new kid in our wylde and sour ale program, Secret Savages! This tart and fruity ale harnesses the juicy power of watermelons and is conditioned for several months in our collection of wine and spirits barrels. Enjoy with friends and remember - it's not normal!

Arbeiter Acid Factory Peach Sour Ale

Arbeiter Acid Factory Peach Sour Ale.

4 % ABV. 10 IBU. Arbeiter Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

I picked this one up at my second visit to the brewery, back in February. There were two from this series available, the other being plum. I kind of wished I'd bought that one instead, or in addition. Arbeiter's beers are now being carried at the retail store where I work, but that Acid Factory Plum is not one of them. This one is. Alas. There's still a few that  I haven't tried, so stay tuned for more. (And many more at the brewery, of course, which I hope to return too soon.)

Clouded, bright golden color, zip head. 

In the nose: fruit, tart, big ol' peach. 

In the mouth: Fresh and funky. Flush with fruit. Large with the peach, other stone fruits pop up in association. A little apricot? Lip-smackingly sour, zesty and peachy. Medium bodied, light fruity finish. Leaves the palate quickly, but very enjoyable, very tasty. 

The peach version of Acid Factory, our series of fruited kettle sour beers.

The base for this version of Acid Factory was inspired by a traditional Berliner Weisse which is a very low-ABV wheat ale with a tart/sour component from either lactobacillus or other bacteria.

Highly effervescent, lightly tart, and bursting with flavors of ripe peach. It’s Peach AF!!

Allergens: Wheat

I still hold that "AF" is dumb. Dumb as fudge.

Oliphant Rum Barrel Aged Spooky Squishy

Oliphant Rum Barrel Aged Spooky Squishy. Fruited Sour. 

5 % ABV, Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI. 

Dear  friends, Before I begin my notes on this beer, let me address the 900 pound elephant in the room. The picture at left could be better. The glass could have been a lot cleaner. I should have used a cleaner wash cloth when washing it, and in a thoroughly scrubbed sink, completely cleaned after doing dirtier dishes. There is no excuse for this. I goofed up. Please do not direct these pictures to the Dirty Glass Mafia, do not scold me on Twitter, know that I see my faults and will strive to do better, and I am ashamed. Lower your weapons, put down your pitchforks, let me repair my errors and do better next time. Let us move on from here. Also, don't do that shit to any one else. They learn on their own time. Dragging people through the dirt doesn't do anything to educate. 

On to the beer: 

Lightly clouded, deep amber appearance, slim white head. 

In the nose: Apple and spice comes first, followed by rum & alcoholic heat. Well-rounded, so far. 

In the mouth: Starts sweet, then sour, and all the while fruity. Rum barrel comes creeping up afterward, but not really enough to make a difference. Spicy and delicious, nonetheless. I feel that this should have been in the barrel longer, picked up more character. It's coming up short in that department. The base beer provides the goods, though, with just a touch of that rum barrel. I'm still enjoying it. It's still some good squishy.

Barrel-Aged Apple & Spices Sour Ale w/ sea salt, vanilla, & lactose.

Oliphant Seventh Squishy

Oliphant Seventh Squishy. Fruited Sour Ale. 

5.5 % ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI. 

Thoroughly opaque, deep reddish, raspberry-esque color, large pink head that drifts down quickly. 

In the nose: All the berries are here: the straw, the blue, the rasp. A pinch of salt, and a touch of the floral. 

In the mouth: Tart, fruity, puckering, but altogether smooth and delightful, ending dry. Sweetness never takes command of this fruit-forward concoction. Salt and hibiscus counter the sweetness of berries. But the berry flavor is strong, and remains delicious in this tasty sour. Lactose smooths it out a bit. 

Question: are these little guys with the Oliphant logo heads actually called "squishies"? So, are they like the seven dwarves in this label, mining berries from some strange cave? Where are the footnotes on this one? Ah, not yet, though they are putting out the stories on the blog as new ones come out. 

another soured Squishy fermented with Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, & Hibiscus. 

Lactose, sea salt, and vanilla to round it out! 

Oliphant Bourbon Barrel-aged Super Squishy

Oliphant Bourbon Barrel-aged Super Squishy.

5.5 % ABV, Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

Deeply reddish appearance, largely opaque, sizable pinkish layer of foam on top. 

In the nose: Super Squishy is in full attendance, here, the berries, the coconut, the lactose, doing their thing. I'm not getting much else, though. 

In the mouth: Now, we're getting some barrel action. A little. But, the fruited sour that is Super Squishy is still in charge. And, ...I'm waiting. Waiting. Where's the bourbon barrel? I'm not getting anything, really. Maybe, very minor. Maybe this needed to stay in the barrel longer? 

I have to admit to feeling a little cheated. This was a $7 12 ounce can. And I'm not tasting anything like bourbon. Not really. Not enough. 

Oliphant Santa Squishy Cherry Cola Sour Ale

 Oliphant Santa Squishy Cherry Cola Sour Ale.

5.5% ABV. Fruited Berliner Weissbier with cherries, vanilla, lactose, sea salt, and cola flavor. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

Who doesn’t love a picturesque, bucolic winter wonderland scene of naked Santas pulling a sleigh led by an Oliphant logo headed being?

So, it’s a cherry cola sour, eh? Sort of thing I’d usually shake my head at, but it’s Oliphant, so I have to try it.

Clear, bright crimson coloring, slim pinkish head.

In the nose:sweet cherry notes, but tart coming up behind.

In the mouth: sweet and tart together, with a tiny bit of cola flavor, just a smidge. Light bodied, refreshing, drinkable. The sea salt, once more, is noticeable in this, and the lactose makes it all the smoother. A ver well rounded beverage, and quite enjoyable if you’re into this sort of thing. Me, I can take it or leave it.

You hear me, Oliphant? Makes more IPAs. Or doppelbocks, or Baltic porters. Get off this all-sour kick.  I implore you. There’s more to beer than sours.

Prairie Artisan Ales Seasick Crocodile Sour Ale

 

Prairie Artisan Ales Seasick Crocodile Sour Ale. With cranberry, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

6.3% alc. by vol. Brewed and canned by Kreb’s Brewing, McAlester, OK.

Thoroughly clouded, bright pinkish color, small white head.

In the nose: cinnamon hits first, ginger coming up behind. Fruit is silent.

In the mouth: Kicking it off hot and spicy. Quite tart and with that, the cranberry takes center stage, spice is at the side. With each new sip, that’s what we get: tart cranberry, puckering, spices. Light bodied, refreshing, unique. Tasty little sour ale, I like it.

Oliphant Humans with Animal Lips Tropical Sour Ale with Passionfruit, Orange, & Guava

Oliphant Humans with Animal Lips Tropical Sour Ale with Passionfruit, Orange, & Guava.

5 % ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI. 

Clear, bright golden hue, lacey white head, looking good. 

In the nose: Tart and slightly salty at first (though no salt is mentioned), fruit follows suit. Utter lack of sweet, so far. 

In the mouth: Sour from the get-go, great, big puckeration. Intensely dry, not overly sweet or sour, at all. Light bodied, easily drinkable. One might expect larger, juicier, pulpier tropical fruit presence, but this is fairly restrained, as dry as it is sour. And I like that. 

Tasty sour, this. Good tropical sour, and you can drink it. 

Three Floyds Cherry Canis Invertus Sour Flanders Red Ale

Three Floyds Cherry Canis Invertus Sour Flanders Red Ale.

8.5 % ABV. 7 IBU. Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, IN. Flemish style ale brewed with cherries. 

It's Not Normal!

Bright crimson coloring, semi-clear, slim to no head. 

In the nose: Cherry's in charge of this one. Large tartness. Fruit aplenty. 

In the mouth: Sour from the beginning, intense puckering, bright and jammy fruit flavors. Bursting with cherries. Sweetness rises up, merges with the sour. Tasty stuff, indeed. I am liking this more and more as I drink it. Giving Rodenbach a run for their money. 

Go out and get this one. Three Floyds isn't just about IPAs and stouts. They make a mean sour, as well. 

A tart Flemish-style red ale brewed with cherries.

Rush River Peach/ Pomegranate Berliner Weisse

When I was at River River Brewing Company a few weeks back, the bartender told me that they never pre-fill and stock crowlers. Everything is filled to order. Maybe I should have had him fill me that secret beer that wasn't officially on tap yet and I've forgotten what it was. Instead, I took this one from the cooler that was pre-filled for some reason. And I can't find any mention of it anywhere online. So, I guess I get to add it to the various databases, lucky me. 

So, here we go. 

Peach/Pomegranate Berliner Weisse Ale. 

4.1 % ABV. Rush River Brewing, River Falls, WI.

Clouded, pinkish appearance, no head.

In the nose: Tart hits the nose first, followed by fruit. Pomegranate overpowers peach, so far. 

In the mouth: More tart from the start, with a flash of fruity flavors following. Once in a while, the peach peeks out from amid the pomegranate. Ends clean and quick. Rather mild pucker. Medium bodied. Not a whit sour, and the tart leaves the palate quietly. Fairly refreshing. Tart comes back with each new sip, but never stays for long. 

Not bad. Not great...

Dogfish Head / Rodenbach Vibrant P'Ocean

Dogfish Head / Rodenbach Vibrant P'Ocean. 

4.7 %, 12 IBU. Dogfish Head Brewing, Milton, DE, collaboration with Rodenbach, Belgium. 

Clear, bright crimson coloring, slim and slightly pinkish head. 

In the nose: Rosy, tart, fruity. Funky, fresh, sour.

In the mouth: Starts out with intense pucker, incredible tart. Cherries and berries, and plenty of oak. Very pleasant sour ale, but lacks the complexity of the regular Rodenbach. Definitely drinkable. Decidedly tasty. Sparkles on the palate. Yeah, pretty nice. Pretty nice, indeed. Good Belgian/American collaboration sour ale and you can drink it. 

Vibrant P’Ocean is a complex, ruby-colored ale with tart, dry flavors of jammy berries and floral lemon. To create this trans-oceanic potion, we carefully combined two unique base beers – one developed by Rodenbach and the other by our brewers here in Milton.

Oliphant Spooky Squishy Sour Ale

Oliphant Spooky Squishy Sour Ale.

5.5 % ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

Clear, amber-hued, slim white head. 

In the nose: Fruit, spice, sour. Warm and lively.

In the mouth: Cool, but hot. Big spice and apple flavor from the get-go. A little cinnamon? Tart and tasty. Minor hops. Medium malt. Lean, clean, light and delightful. Beautiful blend. Tart and refreshing. I'm liking this. 

An Apple Pie Sour to get you through darkest, creepiest nights! 

contains lactose & vanilla.

Junkyard Tag Team Partners Blueberry Peach Sour IPA with Lactose

 Junkyard Tag Team Partners Blueberry Peach Sour IPA with Lactose.

6.3 % ABV. Junkyard Brewing, Moorhead, MN. Packaged 9/14/20. 

Clouded-up, crimson-tinged, slim, pinkish head. 

In the nose: Tart, berries, sweet and fruity. 

In the mouth: Tarts starts it off, then comes the rush of fruits and sweets. Juicy, refreshing. Medium bodied, easy-drinking. Maybe the merest trace of bitterness. There's barely a hint of anything resembling an IPA behind the sour and the fruit. Have no idea why they keep calling these things IPAs. 

It's a nice blend of the fruits, no way to tell where the peach is, and where is the blueberry. It's tasty. And creamy. And fruity. But Tain't no IPA, and getting less sour as we go. Much less like beer, too. 

This Blueberry Peach Sour IPA is too hot to handle and too cold to hold...even with the largest arms in the world. Hopped with Mosaic to compliment the fruit overload, it is the perfect mix of sweet, juicy peaches and tart, sour blueberries. Lactose makes a presence adding to its smooth and creamy body with a swift hop kick right to the mouth. It's time to rip off your tank top and raise a glass to the partnership of these MEGA POWERS! Yeaaaaahh, you'd better believe it brother!⁣

Three Floyds Pear Bear

Three Floyds Pear Bear. American wild ale brewed with pears.

8% ABV. Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, IN.

Clear, amber/golden-hued, slim white head. 

In the nose: Sour, funky, fruity. Ripe. Rank. There's pears in there.

In the mouth: Pow! Sweetness meets the sour. Big puckeration. Medium bodied. Long, sour finish. Juicy. Tangy. Wild and crazy. Not a lot of pear flavor, per se, but damn, the sour is in power. Terrific tart. Funky stuff. Slightly hot. 8% is high for a sour, and I can dig it. 

A weird beer to match the weird-o, freaky cartoonery on the label. The freak flag flies high. The label for this one was drawn by cartoonist Alexis Zirritt, of Space Riders fame, the title that inspired a line of IPAs over at Oliphant. 

Black Project Argus Pasion Fruit & Vanilla Sour Ale

Black Project Argus Passion Fruit & Vanilla Sour Ale. 5 % ABV.

Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales, Denver, CO. 

Clouded, golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: Sour & fruit hit first, with a touch of salt on the side. Creeping vanilla sweetness.

In the mouth: Intense puckering, sweet fruit, awash in acidity...then on comes the vanilla. Not sure why they chose that addition. Maybe I'll get it later on. Ooo, sour! Oooo, vanilla! With passionfruit somewhere in between. Medium bodied, easy drinking, suitable for the soreheads. If you don't mind vanilla in your sour, for no reason. 

I think the below might refer to this choice of adding vanilla to a sour ale, and I think they should try to put it back in the box. 

Some said it couldn't be done. Some said it was opening Pandora's box. But we did it anyway. Irradiate your tastebuds with a burst of tropical passion fruit followed by waves of vanilla 

Pryes Mutually Inclusive Mango

 Pryes Mutually Inclusive Mango. Cuvée-style Smoothie Sour. 

5.4 % ABV. 15 IBU. Pryes Brewing, Mpls., MN. 

So, here we have one half of a collaboration with Drekker Brewing of Fargo, ND. Instead of combining their skills and imagination to craft one beer that they would brew in tandem, two beers were produced and distributed by the disparate brewing entities, and the consumer is required to locate them and blend them together in one glass by themselves. Of course, this becomes a difficult endeavor, to find the two beers, especially since Drekker beers are so highly sought after, and tend to sell out quickly wherever they are sold. That is why I have the one (purchased for $3.99 for the one can), and not the both. I couldn't get to the store fast enough. Or, maybe I could, but I just didn't make that extra effort. Priorities. 

Something threw me off about the labeling of the beers and the use of the term "cuvée-style". What on earth does that mean? In all my years in beer, I have known that this term is utterly meaningless and merely refers to what the brewmasters wish to regard as "their finest." In wine, it is used to denote a particular tank, batch or blend. However, I will simply lift from Wikipedia here...The term can also apply to beer, or to chocolate to refer to a batch that is blended by the manufacturers to produce a certain taste. Many lambics and gueuzes—sour beers with wine-like characteristics—are marketed as cuvée. When referring to beer, ale, or chocolate the term has no defined meaning, but is meant to evoke images of higher quality—similar to the use of "reserve" for wine in areas where the term is not regulated by law.

I guess I can see where they're coming from, to take that meaning from wine and applying it to what they're doing...but it's the first time I've encountered this expression and it really threw me for a proverbial loop. "Huh, Cuvée isn't a style..." Maybe it became a style while I wasn't looking. I try to keep up, I surely do try...

So, enough of that. I got on the hype train and picked a can of a style I surely shy from, normally...the fruited smoothie sour. If the label says "smoothie" anywhere on it, I am very careful not to put it in the cart. 

All hazed-fied. Bright orange, Slim to no head. 

In the nose: funky, fruity, mango-y. 

In the mouth: Ooo! Tart from the start, followed by juicy, pulpy mango-y flavors. Sour and sweet at once. Medium bodied, easy-drinking, refreshing. Plenty of sour, loads of fruit. What makes it "smoothie", though. I'm not getting the mouthfeel I'd expect from that appellation. Let's see if we can find out. 

Designed to be combined with Drekker's cuvée counterpart. Experiment with mixing flavors or enjoy each on their own. Our brewers have come up with a way to create something together, from far apart.

Well, that didn't tell me anything. Is there lactose & such to make this a smoothie? I can't taste it. But, I can taste the mango and the sour, and they work together pretty well. Not bad at all. 

What would it be like when blended with blackberry? I can only dream.