White Birch Apprentice Series Svetlana
Thanks to AshleyMiller for this one. Batch 1, August 2011, #253 of 312. Served in a Hill Farmstead glass. A - A dark tan foam settles to a thin collar and wispy patches, leaving behind minimal lace. Very dark brown body with lighter patches at the edges of the glass. S - Dark chocolate, light funk, some cherry and vinegar sourness, hint of savory meats, a bit of iodine and other medicinal flavors. The combination of smoke and vinegar suggests barbecue. It's actually mildly appealing in a strange sort of way. T - Taste takes a U-turn in the wrong direction unfortunately. Soda water, gauze and dusty brettanomyces flavors, a hint of sourness, and an extremely dry and roasty malt bill with notes of oak and leather. The brett has really over-attenuated this beer. M - Zesty, sharp, harsh carbonation, dry cocoa powder texture, and a hefty full body. Alcohol is well-hidden, and the finish is extremely dry and tannic. Dial down the bubbles a bit at this would be decent. D - While White Birch seems to have dialed down the aggressive oak that plagued earlier beers, I think the wild yeast has taken over a bit too much in this beer - particularly in the flavor. It's still drinkable, but it's not particularly enjoyable. Still, it tasted fantastic in comparison to Idiot's Drool.