Bottleworks 10th Anniversary Wild Ale - New Belgium Brewing

AlexFields

Tennessee

4.49/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Opened at TN whales tasting 3/16/2013. Thanks to CurtisMcArthur for opening this and the other later Bottleworks beers.

Pours a complex sunny amber color with hints of red/pink.

Smells super tart, cherries and other fruit, hints of ketchup and sweet malt like I get from most New Belgium sours. I am fully expecting this to be stomach shreddingly acidic.

And it is! Super sour, apple and cherry fruitiness, hints of that Flanders Red type maltiness but they're mostly covered by the pure acidity. This is awesome.

Drinkability is really pretty good considering the crazy acidity.

Up there with the most sour beers I've had, I love this. Our official geek of the tasting, Brandon, was measuring the ph of all the sours we drank and this was easily the lowest at 3.04 if I remember correctly.

9.4/10

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 15:05:02 | More by AlexFields

brystmar

New York

4.7/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks, Ethan!

Misty / cloudy maroon body, plenty of white head. Funky raspberry, cheesy, and yeasty aroma ain't no tease. Super acetic taste holds plenty of ulcer-inducing sourness, and I LOVE it! Loads of raspberry and other ripe fruits compose this complex and delicious American Wild. Ranks among my favorite domestic sours.

One of my favorites from the ~dozen sours we opened tonight.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 22:36:52 | More by brystmar

gford217

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle shared at the Brick Store with the usual suspects.

Pours a hazy golden orange that gets cloudier with each incremental pour and sports a small thin beige head that recedes quickly to a thin collar.

The aroma is funky up front with the brett making its presence felt earlier alongside some acidic notes. There is a light tart cherry note with some oak.

Taste has an initial funky kick with a combination of brett funk and acidic tartness. There is plenty of oaky tannins in the background with some orange zest and green apples. The finish is funky but dry and leaves the tongue completely dry after each sip.

The mouthfeel is light with decent carbonation and very dry and acidic in the finish.

We drank quite a few excellent beers tonight and this was one of the best. An excellent sour from New Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 04:04:43 | More by gford217

khiasmus

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Many thanks to wespatrick for pulling this out of the cellar. Reviewed from notes.

Looking out over the thin orange haze, through the ring of the lens around my eyes... funny, isn't it, how both eyes can almost make one circle around? But you can tell, of course, that it isn't one, but two. The angles are off. There are fires in the distance, and a glow over the city casting the dull orange flicker all about us, but you mustn't dwell on it. Things are lost. There is a ring around the glass and a thin sheet across the top, nothing else here to keep us warm, we escaped with our skins, for that much we can be grateful, as we hear the weeping of others in the makeshift camp that apparently weren't so lucky and are casting about in silent desperation for a sign of their son or daughter (no one should have to bury his child, much worse when they are just lost and there is never any finality...)
The aromas are of the earth around us, a certain dank quality of something very, very old and musty, and the white oaks wave their branches for joy or sorrow, you cannot tell which. White grape wafting over from the fields that have kept many of us alive for so many years, oh God I hope the flames remain in the city, at least then we can rebuild... Rusty implements from days gone by add to the old aromas, as you feel in your pocket and find a jolly rancher that escaped with you... what a pity, and anger overcomes you as you think of your belongings being engulfed in flames, your mother's photograph, the only one you had, and this damn candy sits in your pocket, taunting you by merely being itself and not something else.
You rise and force a smile to your spouse, better go down to the stream and get a drink, and try to put your wits back together. Your daughter will stay too, just bring some back. What a foolish suggestion. All you have is a candy wrapper. The green muscadines and white grapes pique your awareness that, of course, the fields are over there, there ought to be a tin or pail that will hold enough. You pop a couple while looking, of course. Intense puckering sour, obviously they are not ripe yet. You smell the remains of old barrels souring nearby and the grass as your feet crushes it between each accursed row, why could it not have been anywhere else. Anywhere, but to take all of your worldly possessions and end them in one sadistic swoop and that orange glow. It is puckering and astringent, dry like the champagne you toasted just three nights ago, and almost creamy. There it is, an oaken half-barrel pail, one of the small ones. Those cracks are sure to leak out, perhaps you can plug them with grapes and apply some sugar to their tired lips in the process. You have a long, terrible, weary and sorrowful night ahead of you. Better get back.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 13:40:28 | More by khiasmus

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a light layer of beige head. Color is a vibrant amber gold.

Aroma: I get some cinnamon and spice in the nose. Very oaky. Cherry tartness. Acidic with vinegar notes. Very nice.

Taste: Vanilla, cinnamon, and spice. Cherries and caramel malt. Vinegar and acidic flavors. Green apples. Kind of fruity. Mouth puckering. Oaky.

Mouthfeel: Tart and acidic. Light bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends with more tartness.

Overall, this was a really nice beer. More sour and tart than the twisted spoke. Similar but it shows age. It is more rounded out and smooth. The TS is more malty and less sour than this one. A very well rounded complex sour.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 02:29:20 | More by mothman

Chriscrundwell12

Minnesota

4.55/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a mini brandy snifter, sharred with many BA's at the Darkness Eve tasting. Thanks to Ben for sharring this beauty.

A- Loved the appearance on this beer, really nice and cloudy, no head, yellow brown muddy color, no lacing, looks old.
S- The aroma is very acidic, cherry, sour, oak notes are very prevalent, slight citrus and lemon come out, loved all the different characteristics in this beer.
T- The taste is very similar to the aroma, really tart and puckering, nice funky notes, cherries, citrus, lemon zest, oak/wood notes come out, really acidic, really complex.
M- Medium/light mouth feel, well carbonated, really smooth and puckering as you drink it, tart, dry finish.
O- This beer was very impressive, huge thanks to mothman for bringing this beer, very tart and complex, a lot going on, this beer has done wonders with some age on it, would of loved to try one when it was fresher.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 19:07:45 | More by Chriscrundwell12

kbutler1

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle. Courtesy of Ben (Mothman). Pours a slightly hazed amber orange color with a light tan coastered head. Nice aroma with a very solid orange citrus note coupled with both lemons and orange. Similiar to the aroma, the taste is a nice balance of lemon sourness and citrus sweetness with a touch of wood. Nice level of sourness. Light mouthfeel with carbonation. An excellent beer and worthy of trying to find.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 17:04:17 | More by kbutler1

AgentZero

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Bottle thanks to Jason. Review #1400.

A - Orange colored beer with just a tiny bit of hazy, nearly transparent. There is a minimal white head on this one that doesn't stay for very long.

S - There is some great funk and acetobacter tartness on this. It smells very sour with some tart cherries and a bit of citrus in there. Oh, this is also fantastic.

T - The smell was great and the taste doesn't disappoint. Great sour and funk, little bit of tart cherries, some nice sour orange, little bit of wood. This is pretty sour, has a nice puckering effect.

M - Lighter bodied with some pretty active carbonation.

O - No complaints about this beer. The nose and taste are just awesome. Wish I could drink this one all the time.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 02:57:55 | More by AgentZero

ChrisPro

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle thanks to Jason.

A - crystal clear orange with a weak cream head and spotty lacing.

S - big funk, lots of orange, sour cherry, grapefruit and oak

T - virtually no sweetness then a huge acidic tartness that makes me almost pucker. A sweet butter lingers on the inside of my cheeks.

M - light, but sharp carbonation. Medium body and a slick finish. No alcohol heat.

O - just amazing! Big puckering sour that pals all kind of goodness into every sip. the extreme sourness puts a governor on drinking too quickly but I definitely would love to have this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 04:39:34 | More by ChrisPro

scottfrie

California

4.1/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to ipa247 for sharing this one. Poured into Jackie O’s snifter.

A: Pours a dark woody mahogany red without much of a head.
S: Super tart notes of raspberries and cherries, tart red fruit skins, dry oak and old attic must.
T: There is just an obscene amount of sour to this beer. The flavor is full of acidic tart fruits, cherry pits and skins, and oak and dry, chalky tannins.
M: Super dry with a medium body and clean mouhtfeel. It’s actually not as hard to drink as I make it sound.
O: Definitely La Follie-ish, and perhaps a bit more polished (than the caged and corked version at least as recent vintages have been pretty tame in comparison). This had a really good flavor but damn was it sour. Thanks again for opening your bottle, Jeff.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 02:03:26 | More by scottfrie

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Another La Folie Anniversary Beer from New Belgium that was provided by Joe. Thanks for this!

The body is a crystal clear caramel color, and it has much better head retention than the Falling Rock 10th Anniversary Ale. It is creamy, full, and fine. There is slight lacing; I'm only able to characterize it as thin and irregular wisps of lace that form a parabolic shape on the glass as I drink.

The acetic sourness that was so evident in the nose of the Falling Rock is much more subdued here. Instead, the aroma is predominantly tart berries, some vinous notes, and hints of tannins. The palate opens similarly, with white vinous notes in the front that give way to sweet and tart cherries. These all gather in front of a mildly acetic sourness that dominates the finish. The acetic sourness is well balanced by lactic notes.

mouth-puckeringly acidic, but well balanced sourness in the mid-palate giving way to a dry finish. There is high carbonation that does a great job of bringing out the flavors in the beer. Very well done, and this was by far my favorite of the NBBC La Folie Anniversary Beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 23:41:42 | More by NittanyBeerFan

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.85/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Big thanks to todes for sharing this bottle with me.

A – It pours a hazy apricot hue and is capped with a small film of soapy bubbles. If something can look sour, this does.

S – The nose is fantastic. It is hard to adequately quantify because it doesn't really lend itself to comparison. Notes of tart cherry, random astringent notes, and band-aids are a few impressions I get.

T – Sour, tart, astringent, with complex and dynamic notes ranging from lemon and cherry to medicine, sulfur and wood; all exquisitely balanced. It is very easy to drink this, despite the moderately puckering intensity; it really reminds me of a Cantillon.

M – Good carbonation, nice mouthfeel, quite enhancing.

O – Very very good beer here.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2011 13:58:30 | More by ktrillionaire

Jmoore50

Nevada

4.38/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

So it is my understanding that this specific blend is a mix of young La Folie, Erics Ale, and Le Terrior with a special blend of wild yeast. No matter what is in the blend, it is delicious.

So it pours out of the bottle a little darker than blond, and since I got the first few pours of it I received a glass with great clarity. I poured it fairly hard and it produced a very strongly carbonated head that didn't stay for long. A medium bodied beer, it was not outstanding in appearance.

The smell was fairly complex, and with the first tastes got interesting. It has smells lemon, tart cherry, vinegar and wet sock, with Le Terrior being the strongest and most similar beer I can think of. Very sour and tart in the nose as well as in the tastes.

Whoa, its getting really sour. It has a one two punch of sour and tart. Its got the flemish red type vinegar sour, paired with a lactic lemon geuze sour. Its a little chalky on the palate with an oak character that is a force to be reckoned with. Very good and really starts the salivating.

A great sour mouthfeel with some great carbonation, this was actually really surprising for me. This is a delicious beer, and I think deserves to be up there with Deviation on the top Bottleworks Anniversary beers. Its very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2011 01:35:04 | More by Jmoore50

DaveJanssen

British Columbia (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev -9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 at brouwer's (they don't let you take any bottles to go) poured into a small snifter. Reviewed 12/26.

Ar: Fruit, raspberry, mild cherry, clean classic new belgium sour character, lactic acid, lemon, very fruity, tropical fruit hints, caramel hints, milt acetic acid

Ap: Medium white head, fair retention, clear pale ruby, this is a pretty beer

T: Lactic acid, cherry, very mild acetic, classic new belgium sour, but much better than in la folie and others, light lemon, minimal brett character, light caramel, blackberry, strong berry character, lacking funk but good.

M: mild acetic, mid/high carbonation, other than the mild acetic character very good sour balance.

O: very good, new belgium sour character but much better than any of their other sours, mildly acetic.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2010 04:50:08 | More by DaveJanssen

dragonWhale

New York

4.4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Not that there was anything wrong with the beers on tap at Big Wood, but a compadre and I wondered about the price on this and at $25, it sounded like a steal. Out came the sexy bottle. Out came the cork. Out went reasonability.

With New Belgium kids in the house, we had to do it. Coppery with big white head. It's acidic, lemony, a little funky, cherry, woody. Astringent, yes, that too. It is one badass beer. We split the bottle four ways and had the pleasure of enjoying it over some hours. Just a hair of vinegary to it was perhaps the one drawback, but certainly one I can live with and love.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2010 10:09:49 | More by dragonWhale

xpimptastikx

Texas

4.33/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

An amazing extra throw in by a very generous WA BA.

pours burnt orange, copper, with 1/2 " of khaki head that recedes to thin sheet. Lactic vinegar with green apple oak. Strong cherry vinegar initial taste with light funk and oak finish. dry with good carbonation. Like a La Folie blend on steroids. This is damn good stuff, but could destroy a palate at more than 12oz a serving.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2010 02:01:38 | More by xpimptastikx

MasterSki

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to Derek for sharing this one. Served in a tasting snifter.

A - Pours with a nice volume of foam that settles to a thick ring and hazy film, leaving minimal lace. It's a hazy golden brown color.

S - This reminds me a lot of Le Terroir, with the signature big New Belgium acetobacter mixed with barnyard an diaper funk. Displays some similarities to 50N 4E, which is a high compliment from me.

T - The taste is almost identical to the nose on this one. Love-esque acetobacter, sour lemons and vinous acids, and some funky horse for good measure.

M - This is the only weak spot in my book. Zesty carbonation that burns a little. Medium bodied, and very dry.

D - This is an excellent beer. Other than the slightly offputting carbonation and potential for intestinal distress this is fantastically drinkable. Really glad I have a bottle of this one on the shelf.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2010 20:45:02 | More by MasterSki

Sean9689

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle.

A - Pours a clear rusty reddish brown. Off-white head, thin cap with a small amount of lacing and bubbles in top.

S - Sour/tart cherries, acidic funk, oak, orange peel, lemon zest.

T - Acidic fruity notes, oak, cherries. The acidic sourness is either something you love or something you hate with New Belgium. I am on the love side.

M - Light to medium, slight carbonation, dry finish.

D - I am a huge fan of this beer. I really am a fan of most NG sours and this offering is no different. Love it. The NB acidic sourness is just so delicious! Get you some!

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2010 20:11:55 | More by Sean9689

waltonc

Colorado

4.6/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Pours clear copper with big white head.

S: Tart, funky, with cherries and vinager on the nose.

T: Sour fruits: cherry, apple, and lemon. Light funk. This is actually a pretty refreshing sour.

M: Medium/light body with quite high carbonation.

D: This may not satisfy those looking for a lot of complexity, but I still found it quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2010 21:49:33 | More by waltonc

BJRHOMEBREW

Ohio

4.55/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Ap- Poured a light browish red with an almost purple tinge. Thin white foamy head that lingered around the inside of my snifter.

A-Amazing Aroma. Smells of fresh cut hay and other smells of barnyard must. Has a slight pleasant metallic tinge that tingles the nostrils as you breathe it in.

T- Ah, what is this. La Follie? No it's La Follie on steriods and then some. Like drinking a wonderfull glass of sour green grape juice, and balsamic vinegar mixed together.

M- Mouthfeel was thin and soft with a sour tinge that will make your tounge curl. Like trying your first sour patch kid when you were younger.

O- Can't believe these are the guys that make "flat tire". Why do they even bother with that crap when they can produce beers of this caliber. A wonderfully done wild ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 21:05:58 | More by BJRHOMEBREW

womencantsail

California

4.38/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Bobby for sharing this one. Tried it the night before Stone Sour Fest, this review is from notes.

A: The pour is a dark copper color with plenty of red accents. The head is towering and off-white.

S: Lots of acidity in the nose. Mostly lactic sourness, but a fair amount of vinegar as well, along with sour cherries, lemons, and oak.

T: The flavor is almost like a more intense La Folie (if that's possible). Lots of sour cherries, lemons, and green apples. The vinegar is quite noticeable as is a musty funk and tannic oak quality.

M: The body is medium with a high level of carbonation and a very puckering and dry finish.

D: This is one of the more sour beers I've ever had, and I enjoyed it. Lots of great cherry and wood notes, and the vinegar was potent but not over the top.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2010 02:31:57 | More by womencantsail

WeisGuy

New York

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed this at Brouwers Cafe in Seattle this evening

a - pours a deep rust/copper color, one-finger ivory head with decent retention and lacing, fairly clear with only light haze

s - lots of sour cherry, vinegar and leather, light barnyard funk and oak

t - big tart cherry flavor up front with some lightly sweet and sour green apple notes, lots of lemony citrus and very acidic, vinegar and some barnyard funk flavors on the midpalate and into the finish, light oak, leather and lingering tartness on the finish, alcohol is almost completely hidden, very complex and delicious stuff

m - medium-bodied with very fine carbonation, pretty dry on the finish, not much alcohol warming

d - pretty intense stuff, which limits the drinkability, but the complexity makes up for much of the harshness on the palate

Really, really good stuff. Very glad to see this on the list at Brouwers tonight, as I figured I would never get to try this long-time want.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2010 05:10:27 | More by WeisGuy

boothbeer

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Graduation Sour Tasting. Split 4 ways

A: Nice dark copper/amber color with thick white head. Nice lacing as well.

S: Nice beery aroma mixed with some funk. Almost a caramel smell. Come nice wine and grape aroma as well.

T: Lots of sourness! Nice Citrus and berry flavor. Sourness lingers in the throat and really makes the mouth water.

M: Very smooth beer. Low carbonation.

D: Very acidic, but very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2010 02:55:47 | More by boothbeer

PittBeerGirl

Pennsylvania

4.78/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to tex for this in a trade well over a yr ago!

A-Body is a very foggy, nearly, opaque, dark, dingy, amber hue. Pours with a one finger nearly off-white head and leaves plenty of lacing all the way down the glass.

S- Overall impression of the nose is slightly sweet. Apricot, peach, oak, vanilla, slight acidic tartness, slight vinegar, funky brett- pear, apple.

T- Flavor profile is moderate in strength and leans toward being more sour than balanced-but is very complex. The acidic tartness is the highlight but does not mask what is beneath it. Flavors of lemon, vanilla,bready yeast and oak are in the background-and apple and pear deep in the background. The sourness goes on and on but a some mild oak and a hint of vanilla linger as well.

M- Moderate tingly carbonation, with a medium weight yeasty, and very smooth consistency.

D- This is an awesome sour. Good complexity to it. Lots of tartness with a nice sweet background. One of my favorite of the style so far- too bad this is a one time release!

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2010 15:16:38 | More by PittBeerGirl

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-dark hazy amber color with a dense fluffy off white head and thick lace

S-light notes of funk right up front, acetic acid, sour apple and pear notes, earthy wood.

T-taste in quite balanced, sour apple, notes of pear, acetic, touch of woodiness, hints of spice, nice sourness in the finish.

M-great feel, soft and prickly, medium to full with a nice level of carbonation that holds throughout but allows the flavors to really show.

D-this has a great complexity mixing acetic flavors with good sweetness and nice light wood tones. very well done.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2010 23:41:48 | More by cpetrone84