I love it when B.C. breweries swing for the fences and pull out all the stops to create something exceptional. It doesn’t always work out, mind you. Sometimes you strike out when you’re trying to go yard. Certainly, it’s easier to play it safe and look for that line drive single to get on base. But when everything connects like it’s supposed to, and you knock it out of the park, it’s a special thing.
Abbotsford’s Field House Brewing has done just that with its blueberry and blackberry Dark Sour. This superbly balanced sour ale weighs in at a whopping 10.0 per cent ABV, but you would never know it. The acidity is well-balanced and complementary, brightening the blackberry and blueberry flavours without over powering them. The finish is dry and lactic, begging you to take another sip. And yet, not even a hint of alcoholic warmth. So dangerous. So delicious.
This surprisingly accessible heavyweight deservedly won gold in . Home run beers don’t need to be super weird, but they do need to be uncompromising, which this beer absolutely is. I can’t even imagine how expensive it was to brew. At $10 a bottle, there’s no way they’re making any money on this.
Dark Sour Blackberry + Blueberry by Field House Brewing
Fruited sour ale • 10.0 per cent ABV • 0 IBU • 650 mL bottles
Appearance: Translucent deep purple with a billowing and short-lived pinkish head.
Aroma: Lactic, fruity, wheat, berries.
Flavour: Tart, fruity, blueberry, blackberry, cranberry, wheat, caramel, balanced acidity.
Body/Finish: Medium bodied with a dry, acidic finish.
Pairs with: Blue cheese, chorizo, grilled salmon with balsamic vinegar reduction, and overused baseball metaphors.
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