Grumpy Raspberry
Brewery description: The base of the beer is a Belgian-style Golden Ale that has been inoculated with Brettanyomyces, aged in oak and finished with fresh fruit. Close to a Lambic but very unique. OG - 1.050 IBU's - 22 10 oz. pour served in a snifter at the brewpub A - Cloudy, yeasty light brown with just a hint of red. A bit of white head is joined by a substantial amount of lacing as the beer is consumed. S - Wild yeast, fresh fruit, floral hops, and a bit of sugar. T - Tart raspberries appear quickly, and there are a variety of other fruit (blackberries and sour cherries, namely) and flower essences detectable, making this quite consistent with the bouquet. Brett adds an enjoyable amount of funkiness to this beer; it's quite complex, so each sip is as interesting as the first. The oak aging is noticeable and furthers the sensual barrage. There are definitely hops in here, and they contribute to a slightly bitter, yet still fruity finish. M - The carbonation and raspberry taste combine to make the back of my tongue/sides of my mouth tingle with delight. This is crisp, lively, and feels just about perfect on an unseasonably warm spring day in Wisconsin. D - The alcohol is very well-masked by everything else going on; I had to force myself to order a different beer after tasting this and knowing that I only had time for one more. Although I love GT's Maggie, I thoroughly regret this decision. As I was leaving, I intended to have my growler filled, but $40 was a bit steep. My wife had a single sip of the Grumpy Raspberry and is insisting that I promptly drive the 30 minutes or so back to Mt. Horeb so that she can have an entire snifter to herself. It's not going to take too much arm-twisting.