Bottleworks XII - The Bruery

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.95/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Opened at TN whales tasting 3/16/2013. Thanks to CurtisMcArthur for sharing.

Pours a very light yellow gold color topped with a nice white head, from the appearance you'd have no idea there were raspberries in this.

Smells of bread, brett, and some faint berry fruit. Really not much fruit in this though.

Taste is tart in an unusual way, fairly wheaty/bready, touch of faded raspberry, there's an oddness to the flavor I can't quite place. Pretty light.

This is very good but not spectacular. I don't know if there wasn't much fruit to begin with or if it's just really faded after two years, but I was expecting a lot more fruit and a bit more sourness.

7.9/10

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 15:13:07 | More by AlexFields

mdaschaf

Washington

4.45/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Bottleworks.

A: Pours a hazy peach color with a 1.5 finger white head on top, great head retention and lacing

S: Nice tart/sour aroma. Some wheat a little bit of raspberry and a bit of rhubarb. Extremely inviting.

T: Great level of tartness mixed with raspberries, the acidity is spot on. Light funk, oak, and some wheat.

M: Light to medium bodied, easy drinking. Crisp mouthfeel.

O: A fantastic AWA, glad it was still on tap when I got over to BW.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2013 20:15:01 | More by mdaschaf

draheim

Washington

4.41/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

On tap into a snifter @ the Bottleworks 14th anniversary event (also had it @ the 12th anniversary). Pours a clear golden orange w/ a big white head sustained by vigorous carbonation.

Aroma is sour, vinous, funky, dry. Intriguing.

Taste is tart, oaky, acidic balanced by sweet berries/fruit. Soft wheat malt. Both complex and straightforward. Reminds me somewhat of Sanctification. And Sweet Tarts.

Mouthfeel is crisp, refreshing, ultra-dry finish.

Overall a surprising, tasty, unique beer. Glad I had another chance to try this one.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2013 08:07:10 | More by draheim

sweemzander

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle poured into a tulip. Another huge thanks to Kevan for sharing!

(A)- Pours a hazy golden apricot orange color. Some good white froth that dissipated quickly. Some lacing left behind.

(S)- Very vibrant and fresh tart raspberry and red wine nuances combined with some subtle spicy oak and wheat. Quite clean where I was expecting more funk, but I like how clean it is, though that starts to change as it opens up in the glass.

(T)- Very nice showing of the wine barrel and raspberries in this. Fairly clean with the slightly increasing funk as it opens up. The tartness is right at the right level, and everything really just meshes together well.

(M)- A nicely crisp carbonation level. Very vibrant fruits and a clean acidity overall.

(O)- It is really nice how clean this is despite its level of acidity and showing of oak it has. Its almost weird based on its color, yet is has so many notes of the red wine and raspberry. Very nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 18:42:42 | More by sweemzander

kevanb

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into a Bruery Tulip

The beer pours a lovely hazy gold color, hints of straw and honey colors, clear complexion, a few bubbles rising to the top of the glass with a 2 finger, soapy white head that has fair retention with no lacing. The aroma is quite intriguing, hay, straw, wheat, typical berliner funk, a touch of salt, prominent vinous barrel character with just a light touch of prickly raspberry. The flavors are just wonderful, nice wit character with the wheat and lemon, just a touch of funk, a nice salty character with nice red wine character, chewy oak with sweet vanilla with just enough lingering raspberry. The balance between Wit characteristics and Berliner characteristics is stunning, and the barrel aging adds such a nice complexity and the tart raspberry really helps to meld it all together in a spectacular fashion. The body is great, lively, light, yet full bodied, coats the mouth well, dances on the tongue and finishes so smoothly.

Verdict: A wonderful Wild Ale, all of the base elements are so nicely captured and the harmony between them is superb. The flavors are complex, balanced and executed to perfection, a must try for anyone who loves a good sour beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:05:02 | More by kevanb

fatmcb1

Texas

4.68/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From notes, served on tap at the Bruery Barrel Night 2012.

Lighter yellow with a thin white ring of head that sticks around.

Raspberry, sour lemon, funk, and slight apricot.

More tart than sour. Raspberries come through very strong. A bit acetic and citrusy.

Slightly over carbed, but not very out of line for the style.

This was one of my highlights from the barrel night. This is an exceptional wild ale.

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2013 06:58:27 | More by fatmcb1

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.23/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out to beeruser for sharing this one on the One Year Anniversary of My Accident/Surgery! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller taster flute. Poured a slightly hazy pale golden yellow with a three finger white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, funk, wheat, fruit, subtle sour, and raspberry. The flavor was of sweet malt, funk, fruit, tart, sour, and raspberry. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. This one had quite a bit of really nice things going on in it. The aroma was a bit more complex than the flavor, however the flavor was quite a bit more pleasant. Everything going on in the flavor here was really nice and when there was one note, another followed close behind that worked in unison to help you get through the sour/tart mashing on your palate. This was a really well put together brew that I’m really quite glad I got the opportunity to try!

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 11:44:19 | More by thagr81us

brystmar

New York

4.5/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Strong hiss as the cap pops off; thankfully not a gusher. Slightly more orange-colored than a typical golden sour. Tons of thick, white head adorns my glass long after the liquid departs.

Aroma like WHOA! The intensely potent smell of sour lemons, wheat, raspberries, ripe pineapple, oak, funky yeast, and lactic acid overwhelms my senses. I want to reduce this to powder and snort a line of it every day.

Fruits and wheat base are apparent in the flavor profile. Raspberries take a back seat to the citrusy, acetic base. Wheat base provides fantastic body. Somehow, despite the ingredients list, this seems about what a BA Imperial American Gueuze would taste like. Strongly concentrated; not for the faint of heart.

I need more of this stuff right away.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 19:40:34 | More by brystmar

UCLABrewN84

California

4.3/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle pour at Woodshop 7 held at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Long Beach, CA.

Pours a murky brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to dots of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace also form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, spice, wood, and some wine aromas. Taste is much the same but is pretty sour and funky as well. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a great beer with a solid aroma and really nice set of flavors that make it easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 00:46:56 | More by UCLABrewN84

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.88/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a snifter. Reviewed from notes.

Appearance - Golden orange with a decent head. A little lacing. I never know what to expect from sours. They could look like anything and still be good. I kinda expected this to be pinker due to the raspberries, but ok.

Smell - Raspberries. Pretty strong raspberry aroma. Mildly funky with some lemongrass and a light acidity. I expected more acidity from the Berliner culture, but it's still smells tart.

Taste - Much lighter raspberry flavor than the smell. Good lemon tartness. Hefty wheat flavors. Grainy and bready. Not a whole lot going on, really.

Mouthfeel - Light body, good carbonation. Like an amped up Berliner. Grainy finish.

Overall - Light in body and, to be honest, flavor. Not overly sour. Not overly raspberry-ish. The malts come through as much as the sour components and the fruit. It's still a good beer, but not one that lives up to its rating.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 12:39:40 | More by Alieniloquium

ehammond1

California

4.35/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2012)

The Bruery Provisions
Orange, CA

(Aged for 1+ year)

Highly carbonated, golden color with a quickly forming, though quickly fading near-white head. This doesn't leave much in the way of stick down the glass. Appropriate.

The aroma is quite sour/tart, with some definite raspberry sweetness, along with some cherry and wood notes. Complete, bright, expressive, and incredibly enjoyable.

The flavor does not disappoint after such a nice aroma. The big lactic sour notes are strong, with complementary flavors of raspberry and oak. Clean, bright flavors.

Medium bodied with high carbonation. Very appropriate for the style.

This is just as good, if not better, than I was hoping for!

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 19:06:38 | More by ehammond1

merc7186

New York

4.48/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Metalgdog for sharing this awesome bottle.

I had this beer poured from a bomber into a tulip.

A: Light, Hazy Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head, Some Lacing

S: Raspberries, Pear, Sour Apples

T: Pear, Sour Apples, Mild Raspberries, Mild Pinot Noir

M: Decent Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Sour, Bitter

Overall, an extremely balanced sour beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 00:10:41 | More by merc7186

DovaliHops

California

4.15/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a very cloudy/murky yellowish orange straw color with a medium white head that disappears quickly. Scent is quite funky...more so than I was expecting. Some pleasant peaches with strawberries and raspberries along with wheat scents. Some brett with lemon zesty aromas. Definitely has berliner-like aromas. Taste is just as it smells but with more strawberry flavor than I was expecting. A lot of hay though, with a ton of lemon and some very tart flavor. Not overly sour, but borderline. The lemon really comes through nicely in this beer. Nice acidic finish with more wheat. Mouthfeel is very good for this style. Drinkability is high. Overall...they call this an Imperial Sour Wit. The only other imperial berliner I had was from Lips of Faith, and this one blows that outta the water. Would like to have picked up more from the red wine barrels, but it was a great beer regardless. So glad I FINALLY got my hands on a bottle of this.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 08:24:29 | More by DovaliHops

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.03/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a nice semi cloudy light yellow color with bubbles, some sediment, nice white cap and lacing

S: Plenty of hay, barnyard funk, sourness, lemon zest and faint raspberry

T: Immediate lemon tartness blended with hay, barnyard, horse blanket. The tartness lingers start to finish with a very faint raspberry presence on the end but very faint

M: Light to medium bodied, well carbonated, tart and dry

O: Very good, enjoyable and worth the hype

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 16:52:47 | More by barleywinefiend

dirtylou

Washington

4.08/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

on-tap, brouwers

appearance: served in a 12oz unbranded snifter - really a ridiculous looking beer - a straw-colored milkshake with cream white foam

smell: blind smells are misleading - the wheat tricks my nose into smelling lighter fruits like peach and apricot

taste: a berliner milkshake - blend of tart and sweet raspberries, big wheat notes, not particularly tart - moreso sweet with funky hay/wheat tones. sour apple, lemon, chalk, fruit skin, oak

mouthfeel: creamy and lush - one of the more unique beers of the day

overall: worth a go, but hard to call this a wild ale, more "imperial witbier" or "derivative imperial berliner"

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2012 22:25:48 | More by dirtylou

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.58/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle opened on 5.8.12.

A - Pours a cloudy, pale light orange with a fizzy near-white yellow head.

S - A nice citrusy/wood funk, and raspberry.

T - A mellow lemony sour with hints of raspberry.

D - Good carbonation with a light body, not overly tart.

O - Fizzy, nice sour and tartness. I am so glad to finally get to try this one. Delicious!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 04:47:43 | More by HuskyinPDX

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.28/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip glass from a 750ml bottle.

Pours a nice Berliner Weisse like hazy straw golden color with some nice bright yellow hints. There is a nice fizzy white head that is dense and active but quickly dissipates of to a nice thin film. Hazy and hard to see through but nice and bright.

Aroma is delicious and refreshing. Definitely some refreshing bready wheat notes. SOme nice lemon rind notes and slight grassy hop notes. Nice yeasty funk with some slight wood notes as well. The funk is nice and present as the beer warms. Refreshing strawberry raspberries can be felt in the nose as well on the back end with some slight tart notes as well. The Berliner Weisse notes are pretty easy to note.

Refreshing and light with some nice crisp and fluffy carbonation. Starts off with some nice tart notes with lemony and citrusy sourness. Nice and refreshing and fruity. There is also some nice slight raspberry sweetness and some nice slight fruit tartness. The funk is definitely present especially on the middle and back end. Nice woody notes and slight barnyard and corn husk funk with some slight spice notes. The finish however comes back with some nice fruit juice notes and tart notes. With a crisp dry finish. Quite nice.

Pretty good sour. This definitely is very loyal to the Berliner Style base but with the added delicious fruit notes of the raspberry.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 23:13:18 | More by JoEBoBpr

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4.4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle courtesy of Andre..Thanks again for the generous hook up!

Pours clear light copper with an inch-plus head of whipped white. Thick branches of lacing wrap the glass and a solid coating on the surface for the duration.

Aromtics lead off with sweet tarts, pixie stix, grapeskins, and wet hay. Hints of citrus peel and lemon zest follow through.

Light bodied with a crisp, snappy mouthfeel. Sharp and pointed.

Tart, tannic fruit with wine-like overtones start the palate. Shades of lemon-spritzed hay, soured apples, aspirin, and grapefruit follow through.

Finishes with a lingering tartness, fruit skins, and oaky tannins.

Tasty beer. Heavily tart without being sour, plenty of hay-like brett, and tannic fruit. A bit on the tame side for my tastes, more funk please.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 02:00:18 | More by brewandbbq

scottfrie

California

3.95/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks for sharing, Mike! Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours a hazy straw color with a frothy bright white head that quickly fizzed away into a decent film. Fizzy carbonation.
S: I get notes of sweaty socks, funk, apricots, raspberries, oak and sweet ambiguous fruit.
T: Very dry flavors of raspberries, vinous dry oak, and tart earthy flavors. Vinous red grape flavors are noticeable as well. The finish is lightly tart and dry.
M: Very fizzy ample carbonation. Medium body, dry mouthfeel.
O: Great flavor in this one. I thought the raspberries were noticeable but they could have been more prominent. Thanks again, Mike.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 18:25:29 | More by scottfrie

Khazadum

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Low lacing, retention, carbonation.. bit of cloudy Apple juice color.

Sulfury, dirty diaper, raspberry seeds. Nasty Brett nature. It's nasty like I like my bass drops.

Puckering citric acid, wheat flavors, grainy finish. Raspberry sweetness is hidden, and red wine deep fruits. Lingering raspberry, dark fruits and wheat finish.

Low light carb. Gentle smooth body, light. Puckers strong. Great linger.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 01:41:12 | More by Khazadum

Phelps

Arizona

4.22/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed at the December 2011 Clusterfork, poured into a mini champagne flute.

Pale rosy peach, very cloudy. A big, frothy one-inch head of pure white becomes a soapy top layer and sticks to the glass in sticky walls.

Doesn't smell like much. With effort I can make out grain, wheat, pear, hints of barnyard funk and a suggestion of sourness, but it’s all very faint.

The flavor hits like a surprise party and is a big step up from the aroma. I get a huge flavor of candied peach slivers, which is odd because this brew was made with raspberries. Hmm. Vinegar and sugary lemon lend tartness to floral sweetness. Ripe raspberries are in there as well, providing tartness. Touch of grain at the finish.

Moderate, massaging carbonation breaks the beer into silky fizz. Sugary medium body and a clean, spritzy finish.

Bottleworks XII was easily my favorite Bruery beer of the day. It’s bright and packed with flavor, yet so light and vibrant I could drink it all day. Which I did.

Serving type: on-tap

01-06-2012 23:25:31 | More by Phelps

Mora2000

Texas

3.8/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to crusianbeer for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a light yellow color with a white head. The aroma is full of wheat with a little bit of tartness mixed in. I also get a little bit of lemon in the aroma but it is fairly faint.

The flavor is a little more complex. I get some tart wheat and lemons, as well as a little bit of orange. There is a slight acidic note in the flavor. The beer is refreshing and easy to drink.

Thin mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Not a bad beer by any means, but I wanted a little bit more out of this beer. Not sure where the raspberries were, but I don't think they were in our bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 03:17:57 | More by Mora2000

Gobzilla

California

3.98/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured a hazy pale straw yellow in color with yellow highlights and a thin white bubbly hea that left a little lacing sticking to the glass.
I was definitely able to sniff out some of the weiss bacteria cultures with red wine oaky notes, hints of berries, and a tart aroma.
the tasted had more tart character alongside, wine oak, berries, and really funky bretty flavor but with a touch of citrus; very intresting. the brew was medium in body with a good amount of carbonation which had a oaky, fruity, tannic, bretty, funky, dry and tart finish. it was drinking quite weel and was glad to have tried it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2011 02:20:03 | More by Gobzilla

billshmeinke

California

3.88/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy golden color. Finger of white head.

Smells fruity, some berries. Lots of yeast. Some Cheerios.

Taste follows smell, berries, yeast, lactic sourness. Pretty straight forward. Thought it would be more complex.

Medium bodied, nice sourness, well carbonated.

Good beer, but not as good as I thought it would be.

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2011 21:38:36 | More by billshmeinke

phichifiji00

California

4.38/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Hazy, pale straw color. White head, minimal lacing.

Smell: Earthy, a bit funky, sweet, citrus, oak, vanilla, a bit of honey, and a bit of grapefruit.

Taste: Acidic, brett, funky, citrus, lemon, grapefruit.

Mouthfeel: light bodied, good carbonation, acidic, tart, crisp.

Overall: Very tasty, refreshing, tart, pretty complex flavors/aromas. A great sour.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2011 06:53:41 | More by phichifiji00