Ananke - Freetail Brewing Company

ehammond1

California

4.15/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2012)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, xpimptastikx!

Light, clear orange and light copper in color with a small white head.

Some mild tart character in the aroma, along with a touch of funk, some peach and white fruit notes, and some earth.

The flavor is similar to the aroma, with a nice and light combination of tartness and funk, along with white fruit and a bit of lemon.

Thin to medium bodied with high carbonation.

Very drinkable. Very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 21:00:28 | More by ehammond1

emerge077

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Dan for sharing this one with us! Quick review from written notes.

Hazed pale gold in the glass, spotty arcs of lacing around the edges.

Heavy citrus aroma, blend of orange and grapefruit. Very tart and fruity taste, again big citrus notes of the same fruits in the aroma. Finishes pleasantly dry, overall this Wild Ale is very well balanced and extremely drinkable, with plenty of unique character. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 02:25:38 | More by emerge077

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bottle: Poured a clear bright golden color ale with a large white foamy head with good retention but minimal lacing. Aroma consists of sour and tart notes with some light oak also perceptible. Taste is also dominated by tart notes with some sour notes and oak also perceptible and well balanced acidity which is not overly dominant. Body is about average with good carbonation. Nothing spectacular about his beer but well brewed overall with good balance and limited acidity.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 20:11:56 | More by Phyl21ca

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Sweetwater mini-snifter.

Thanks to wagenvolks for this bottle!

Goddess of inevitability made manifest in a beer? Right on. This stuff pours a cloudy pale-ish straw topped by a finger of lightly off-white foam. The nose comprises lightly-sweet lemon zest, oak, and a light hint of toffee in the background. The taste brings in more of the same, with a general yet subtle increase in tartness. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a lightly creamy feel. Overall, a nice wild, nothing quite spectacular, but something eminently enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 02:17:12 | More by TMoney2591

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Received in a trade and poured my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a crystal clear light straw hue with a one finger head that faded to leave a nice light cloud with a good rich white halo. Very nice, almost like a Berliner.

S - Very soft and subtle on the nose. Super light chardonnay barrels with the light barrel wood that goes with it. Some light lemons and nice faint barnyard funk along with Brett. While the aromas are a bit soft they are all solid.

T - Sourness and vanilla were the first things to jump. Vanilla really leaps at me, nice almost buttery that comes from a good heavy barrel aging. Excellent. After that bright citrus and lemons come out that are intermingled with delicious funky Brett notes. I dont really get much fruit like others have said (pineapple, stonefruit, pine), which is unfortunate as I would love to see some of those flavours. This is actually mighty delicious. As soft as the nose is the flavours really pop in the mouth with nice tartness, vanilla, vinous chardonnay, and solid Brett.

M - Mouthfeel is light and crisp with the perfect amount of lighter carbonation for the style. Lightly puckering/flem inducing. Spot on.

O - Overall, I just cant get past that rich woody vanilla. The vanilla presence here is stronger than in some stouts that have legit vanilla in them! Its excellent and works wonderfully with the sharp lemon and Brett. Best beer out Texas? Quite possible...

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 02:39:35 | More by rudzud

Beerzebub

District of Columbia

4.43/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks Daniel! 2012 bomber, poured in a Vinum Extreme flute.

Brilliant, slightly hazy golden color. No head. Bubbles large and tiny rise lazily to the surface.

Smells like tart old white wine barrel, good combo of fresh fruit (white grape and pineapple) and deep, earthy, savory, briny notes. Some dried fruit, and a hint of pine forest.

Great tart, saline fruit flavor, with enough funky complexity to keep it interesting. Fresh and pure. Refreshing and highly drinkable, thirst quenching to the point of chuggability. Long tart, saline finish with just a touch of overt oak.

It's been a while since I had this, and it's just as enjoyable as I remember it. Excellent beer, great purity. Wish beer like this came in 6-packs!

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 03:44:25 | More by Beerzebub

brentk56

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a hazy, pale lemon color with a very modest head that disappears rather quickly but leaves a smattering of dots in the tulip

Smell: Barnyard funk galore, with lemon, white wine grapes and oak underneath

Taste: Lactic sourness, up front, with developing lemon, white wine grape and oak flavors; other stone fruit elements round out the profile; dry and funky, after the swallow, but not as complex as the aroma had inferred

Mouthfeel: Light bodied with low to moderate carbonation; puckery

Overall: A very nice sour - on the lighter side but refreshingly tart

Thanks, mhenson42, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 22:52:39 | More by brentk56

ubufan2112

Connecticut

4.15/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Received in trade
650 ml Bottle with 2012 date on label.
Label states 6.8% ABV
Poured into Russian River Tulip.

A: Pours a hazy straw yellow with little carbonation. A thin white head quickly dissipates. No lacing.

S: Very clean lemon tart nose with a good dose of funk underlying.

T: Taste follows nose. Bright acidity, with a Brett funkiness that balances out the whole package. I get more of the funk and wine barrel characteristics as the beer begins to warm. The funk leaves a nice long finish on my palate.

M: Very light and crisp on the palate. Medium to low carbonation that's just right for this style. Refreshing.

O: Overall a well crafted sour. Good balance between sour and funk. Refreshingly sour, but no so that it wears out your palate. Would definitely drink again!!

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 22:04:19 | More by ubufan2112

sweemzander

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz. bottle poured into a tulip.

(A)- Pours a hazy goldenrod yellow color. Some white froth and lace formed.

(S)- A funky lemon rind and funky Brett characters. A bit acidic with some subtle dry oak.

(T)- A nice combo of bone dry funk combined with tart lemon peel. Its not overly complex, but very harmonious besides.

(M)- A great carbonation level and balance. I really like the simple combo of dry but acidic lemon rind and a funky Brett oakiness. At the same time being very crisp and refreshing too.

(O)- Definitely not a full-bodied beer, but a PERFECT summer beer. Hugely crisp and refreshing, but still light, dry, and funky too.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 13:43:13 | More by sweemzander

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.1/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Tim for sharing...
The beer pours a honey yellow with a thin white head that doesn't lace. The nose is a sour chardonnay and definitely drinks the same. In comparison to others, this is a relatively drinkable sour with a subtle wine grape tartness followed by heavy attenuated, acidic, dryness in the aftertaste. The beer has a light body and ample carbonation.
Definitely a great beer and definitely worth trying again.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 19:13:03 | More by ThePorterSorter

merc7186

New York

4.2/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this beer poured from a bomber into a snifter glass.

A: Hazy Golden Straw Hue, Passes Most Light, Mild White Head Ring, No Lacing

S: Apricots, Lemons, Sour Mash

T: Lemons, Apricots, Acid, Chardonnay

M: Low Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Sour, Semi Bitter

Overall, a nice sour ale with a mild chardonnay presence...decent enough.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 00:28:19 | More by merc7186

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewpub.

The beer pours a hazy yellow color with a white head. The aroma is not too sour - I get some wheat and grain notes, with not too much else going on. The flavor is more of what I was expecting. I get some lactic tartness, as well as some sour wheat and lemon notes. I also get some oak-aged notes, as well as some subtle white wine character and some biscuit malt. Thin mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2012 22:18:35 | More by Mora2000

Humulus85

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to by boy tjkinate for this one. From a 22 oz bottle into my Darkness snifter. 2012 Vintage

Pours very hazy light gold with small half-finger head that dissipated almost instantly. Very little lacing.

Lemony tartness, some barnyard funk, grainy malt, a bit of wood from the barrel. Clean and appropriate for the style.

Moderate lacto tartness upfront, a citric like sourness. Nice bit of wet funk in the middle. White wine barrel. Balanced out by a surprisingly prominent bready grain bill. Finishes tart and dry.

Very light in body, with tons of active effervescent carbonation. Definitely tart, but not too puckering. Finishes nice and dry with a lingering tart aftertaste. Very drinkable.

Overall this is a pretty solid American Wild. Very Gueuze like, reminded my of Lindeman's Gueuze Cuvee Rene. Nothing too complex here, except for the very nice malt. Maybe a year in the cellar would add some depth. I would love to try the variations on this brew. Recommended to any fan of Sours. Thanks again tjkinate. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 15:05:44 | More by Humulus85

jdense

Oregon

3.93/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Freetail $5.50 12 oz goblet 6.8.12.

Cloudy medium gold body no visible carbonation naty any head just a thin ring around edge of glass. Light peach aromas pears very light floral hops. Taste is equal parts sour and tart mainly tart uo front wet hay and dry horseblanket on the middle leadomg to pretty dry fonish
Medium mouthfeel not much effervescence. Pretty interesting but IMO could have used a bit more time in barrel. Worth a try for sourheads.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2012 20:42:27 | More by jdense

Sean9689

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks, Carleton (SpdKilz)!

A - Pours a pale yellow color, white head, wisps.

S - Lemon citrus, light lactic tartness, white wine grapes. All very light and subtle which makes the nose pretty refreshing.

T - Lemon peel, citrus, lactic tart/sour notes, grape skins, and a light herbal quality. This is lighter then some "berliner's" I've had as of late. Finish is dry lemon and light tartness.

M - Light body, zesty carbonation, dry finish.

O - A nice light sour which I was able to destroy in no time. Perfect for a hot summers day or just something to drink if you'd rather drink a beer over some light lemonade. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 16:41:22 | More by Sean9689

homebrew311

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into Goose Island glass. Appearance is a cloudy yellow with zero head and no lacing. The aroma is full of sourdough, lemon, white wine, and lactic acid. The taste starts with a considerable amount of tartness and reminds me a bit of a lemon Warhead. There is an interplay of candied sweetness which adds a very interesting dimension to the flavor. The finish is dry and leaves a mild lingering tartness on the palate. The carbonation is perhaps a little low, but the mouthfeel is refreshing nonetheless. Overall, this sour offers a terrific balance of tartness and sweetness. Very drinkable. Well done!

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 01:55:48 | More by homebrew311

drabmuh

Maryland

3.8/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle served in a snifter. Beer is yellow and hazy with a nice white head, some lacing, low retention, moderate to high carbonation.

Aroma is lactic and grainy.

Beer is light and lemony in flavor and body, it has a grainy aftertaste / late palate bitterness, over extracted maybe? It is interesting but not great, think of a lemony berlinerweiss or a light sour. I don't think I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 15:15:11 | More by drabmuh

silentjay

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

very hazy straw color with a smallish pure white head that quickly recedes but laces well.

lots of tart green apple skin, white wine, a bit funky, fruity, and with some hay aromas.

sweet tart candies, green apple candies, green apple peel, concord grape skins, white wine, not overly sour, but plenty of tingly tartness.

medium bodied with nice, fluffy carbonation that accentuates the tingly tartness nicely.

nice tart, yet refreshing beer that is pretty flavorful. would definitely have again.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 06:18:43 | More by silentjay

largadeer

California

3.75/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks, Craig.

Appearance: Pale and cloudy straw blond with a fluffy white head that dissipates quickly. Looks like a Belgian wit.

Smell: Yeasty, spicy, phenolic. Some lacto presence, mild lemony sourness, a lot of pineapple. Kind of smells like pineapple icecream, actually.

Palate: Light bodied bordering on thin, with a ton of sweet and tart pineapple flavor. Tastes better than it smells. Has some witbier characteristics - phenolic and spicy, very lactic, a little peppery. Finish is fruity and lactic but very short.

Overall: Really pretty good - comes off as a mildly sour witbier to me. Enjoyable but not great.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 04:56:57 | More by largadeer

Treebs

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle served in Portsmouth tulip. From the most recent release. Bottle courtesy of Carleton (SpdKilz). Thanks buddy!

A: Pours a hazy golden yellow color with a quick dissolving white foam head. It shrinks to a thing ring and some light whisps.

S: Mild tart lemon with some light funk and a little pale wheat and malt combination.

T: Some mild tartness up front with some lemon grass, a little bitter fruit rind and a touch of sourness on the finish.

M: Light bodied with smooth carbonation and a refreshing mouthfeel.

O: Very easy drinking wild ale. Not in your face at all and goes down easy.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 14:24:49 | More by Treebs

FosterJM

California

3.8/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

1261st Review on BA
Bottle to Oakuinox taster
22oz bottle

Thanks to lnashsig for this one

Shared at Beachwood's BBQ Long Beach, Ode to Lambic

App- This was the color of water mixed with lemonade mix with no bubbles, just some floaties in the glass.

Smell- Getting better, here we go but I was shocked. This smelled just like a witbier. Malty, lemon and some soft citrus.

Taste- Well in the words of CPAbeer,"This is a session sour if I have ever tasted one". This was very light all the way around. Great crisp flavor with some lemons and then moves into a soft wheat flavor with a bit mild oak and some white wine flavors.

Mouth- A very light body. I get this is the base sour but wanted more punch I guess. A light medium soft carbonation. A little pineapple on the finish.

Drink- This was pretty damn good. I am really going off the taste of this beer vs. looks or smell. Sessionable, crisp, this, but well flavored. Thanks Lee!

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 23:02:05 | More by FosterJM

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.45/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a bright straw yellow with a minimal white head fading into a wisp. Decent lacing.

Smells a little funky with a lot of white wine notes. Almost like a chardonnay. Some lemon, apple and a slight spiciness.

Lots of bright lemon, apple and pear burst at the front of the tongue. Mustiness throughout almost like a good gueuze. Dries out very quickly and finishes a bit oaky again like a dry white wine such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. Can definitely tell the wine barrel influence on this.

Light mouthfeel with good carbonation levels.

I really enjoyed this beer. Light and crisp with lots of good flavors. I'd recommend this to share with any wine loving friends.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 22:19:01 | More by jmarsh123

elNopalero

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to ElkSherpa for sharing.

Last time I had this (my first time I had it, in other words) was pre-BA reviewing. Always nice to revisit something—especially when they’re as good as this one.

The base beer for FreeTail’s barrel-aged wild ales, this pours a cloudy straw-blonde color, almost like a Belgian wit. There’s an immediate, upfront sour/tart aroma with some oaked notes. The flavor is very front-loaded, with an obvious souring showing hints of verbena and vanilla. Tart, with a dry lemony flavor and a pleasing sweetness which shows through. Delicate and light, it could get easily lost or overwhelmed by stronger sours.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 21:21:15 | More by elNopalero

BgThang

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2012 bottles are 22oz'r. the previous release 2010 i believe was 12oz.
this was the 2012 version.
It pours like cloudy sunshine and notes of sourness, vinegar, and funk come up.
the This reminds me of a light to medium soured lemonade. Very sessionable.
The mouthfeel is crisp with a corn flavor, not diacytel or anything like that but from the funk of the beer and add a nice compliment to the beer.
There is more sour notes if you let it roll around on the back of the tongue.
Overall a nice gueze style base beer the use in all their sour projects. Very nice

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 20:42:34 | More by BgThang

crusian

Texas

2.63/5  rDev -37.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

bottle from raffy313, thanks man, I appreciate you hauling it up.

smell is a lot of brett, with some vineger underlays, with some citrus protruding from it.
taste is disappointing, there is some brett, that fades into lacto... but, honestly... that seems to be about it. they don't really meld together well. they seem to clash. carbonation is great, but this just seems like they tossed as much "wild" yeast into it to see what happened. I didn't think it worked out well.
I think a lot of the ratings might be a bit homerism, I try desperately not to do this. it is very refreshing, though...

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 06:26:19 | More by crusian