Of course I had to sign up for Oklahoma’s first beer society. This the first of the subscription batch that I’ve been able to try, and I’ll be tasting the Sherry barrel aged version as well. According to American Solera, this is a lambic inspired beer, run through a coolship and aged at least 18 months in oak barrels. Though included with the subscription membership, a limited number of these bottles were available to the public, only for sale at the brewery. If you haven’t procured your bottles yet I would hurry, as there were only 180 cases produced.
Company: American Solera
Location: Tulsa, OK, Brewed and Barreled at Prairie Artisan Ales
ABV: 5.4% ABV
Style/Description: Coolship Ale Aged In Oak Barrels
Price: $14.00 per 375 ml
Appearance: Lightly cloudy straw pour, light head or lace. Rising bubbles throughout session, even as it warmed.
Nose: Very earthy nose, super funky barnyard and horse blanket musk aroma upon opening. The damp funk dissipates some as the beer opens up, letting in more of the tart and fruity notes come through.
Taste: The first taste was a bit of a shock after the aroma, as I was expecting a super earthy funk. What I got was a bright fruity tartness, more in league with white wine or cider than a funky coolship sour. Peaches and grapes mingle with the woody grassy funk, the moderate tartness balanced nicely with the mildly vegetal wildness. I suspect that the barrels used were Chardonnay, as there is a smoky white wine flavor in the beer, with pronounced oak barrel tones. Moderate and active carbonation propel the dryness as well.
Finish: Crisp and clean finish, light tastes of stone fruits remain lightly on the palate as it goes down.
Overall: It really is an amazing thing to see beers like this being produced in Oklahoma. We would really expect no less from Chase Healey. His growth from brewer at COOP to starting Prairie Artisan Ales to Oklahoma’s first sour farmhouse brewery is nothing short of astounding. He really seems to have settled in there, and hopefully will continue to release interesting quality beers like this one.
Rating: 4.0/5
