Farmer's Reserve #1 - Almanac Beer Co.

UCLABrewN84

California

3.88/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle pour for Best Damn Night Of The Barrels held at The Beer Company in San Diego, CA.

Bottled Winter 2012.

Pours a hazy light red with a foamy reddish-white head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is sour, tart, and funky with fruity, bile, and cheesy aromas. Taste is much the same with only sour fruit flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of acidity on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with some interesting smells but this one tastes much better in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 16:54:08 | More by UCLABrewN84

vfgccp

New York

4.29/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

A - Nice, clear, solid gold body. Fine, pure white head. Nice retention, poor lace.

S - Tart, lightly tanniny. Granny smith apple, champagne, lemon, white oak.

T - Firm tartness, plum, oak, unripe white grape, crisp unripe pear. Lemon acidity and a light saltiness complement the bright, tart white fruits.

M - Fantastically dry. Medium, creamy body with well balanced carbonation. Nice, lingering finish.

O - Well balanced with a complex mouthfeel and an excellent flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 23:08:09 | More by vfgccp

popery

California

4.16/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours medium amber, a glowy brown-ish orange. Somewhat cloudy. The head is small to medium and slightly yellowed white. Fine foam. Most of the head dissipates after a minute, but there's a nice blanket left over. Some lacing. The aroma has a very nice fruit flavor, and you can really pick out the grape varieties and plums. It's juicy and sweet with a refined, musty fruit skin edge. The wine barrel adds a deeper fruit and oak flavor. Quite a nice combination. My only complaint is that there seems to be a touch of butter in there, though that will probably fade away with time and I seem to be more sensitive than most about such things. The taste starts with that sweet, juicy fruit (and the touch of butter) before it gets tarter and oakier. The finish is dry and packs a good tart bite. Medium sour. Lots of fruit. Very good after a hot day. Mouthfeel has prickly carbonation and some nice pucker. Mild to medium tannic from the barrel. I've liked both of these Farmer's Reserve sours quite a bit - significantly more than when I tried them on tap, for some reason. It's great to see Almanac put out some better stuff, particularly sours, which seems like a natural area for them (and the sour version of their first beer was excellent). I'm definitely looking forward to the next round of Farmer's Reserves.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 04:28:21 | More by popery

kscaldef

Oregon

4/5  rDev -3.1%

05-12-2013 18:39:29 | More by kscaldef

sloelco

California

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

05-12-2013 06:10:13 | More by sloelco

beernads

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -15.3%

05-08-2013 07:23:14 | More by beernads

pperez38

California

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%

05-02-2013 10:40:17 | More by pperez38

DaveHack

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

04-27-2013 15:51:15 | More by DaveHack

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This poured out as a hazy golden color with a decent white head on top. The lacing is spotted and the retention isn't too bad. The smell is funky and fruity, subtle grape aromas and barrel aged aromas fill the nose. The taste of the beer is tart, decent sour malt fruitiness. The mouthfeel is lighter bodied. Pretty nice overall I enjoy this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 00:08:19 | More by Knapp85

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

04-22-2013 21:05:00 | More by Thorpe429

MrVonzipper

California

4.75/5  rDev +15%

04-22-2013 19:48:47 | More by MrVonzipper

EspressoGuy

British Columbia (Canada)

4.48/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

"Ale brewed with plums and Cabernet, Muscat & Concord grapes and aged in used wine barrels"
375ml bottle; bought by recommendation by friendly knowledgeable clerk at Whole Foods in SF.
A: clear light copper
S: like a fine refreshing Riesling. Delicate sourness. Grape must. Clean and fresh.
T: light, fresh, delicate; refreshing, long lingering clean taste. Mild grapefruit juice. Complex.
M: delicate, very light and refreshing. Beautiful.
O: That is one fine beer. I feel like I'm drinking a wonderful wine instead of a beer. The flavours aren't broad but they are complex and delicate. This is one to drink slowly and linger with every sip. It's all in balance. I hope my friends enjoy the other Farm to Barrel beers I brought back as gifts.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 13:49:07 | More by EspressoGuy

BGsWo22

New York

4/5  rDev -3.1%

04-21-2013 02:51:33 | More by BGsWo22

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

04-12-2013 14:51:50 | More by ShanePB

drgonzo2k2

California

4.5/5  rDev +9%

04-09-2013 14:06:18 | More by drgonzo2k2

largadeer

California

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%

04-06-2013 20:27:42 | More by largadeer

MoistPope

California

4.75/5  rDev +15%

04-01-2013 17:12:30 | More by MoistPope

monitorpop

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

03-31-2013 04:47:11 | More by monitorpop

Gobzilla

California

4/5  rDev -3.1%

03-30-2013 09:53:00 | More by Gobzilla

elNopalero

Texas

4.59/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Almanac Farmers Reserve #1! Sour ale!

This pours a glowing orange yellow. The aroma is tart, with a slight funk emerging as it warms. I find dominant notes are a combination of sour cherries, dandelion greens and a stinky cheese funk. Nice.
The flavor comes across with an initial bitterness which dovetails into a light funk. Definitely expect the funk to become more present as this beer sits for some more time. I found flavors of wet hay, carrot juice, funky cheese, and some pinot grigio notes. Dry finish.

Another excellent beer from the folks at Almanac.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2013 05:50:10 | More by elNopalero

kapkenobi

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +9%

03-28-2013 19:20:51 | More by kapkenobi

merc7186

New York

3.91/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Thanks to Magicmonkey72 for this bottle.

375mL bottle into tulip glass.

A: Hazy Orangish Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Funky, Hay, Apricots, Mild Plums, Mild Red Wine

T: Red Wine, Apricots, Hay, Mild Grapes

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Sour

Overall,a nice mild sour with a pleasing red wine barrel presence that isnt over bearing

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 02:47:40 | More by merc7186

wethorseblanket

California

4.01/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Brown 375ml bottle with etched label.

A: Pours a clear peachy yellow with an initial one-inch white head which fades quickly to a thin cap and rim leaving splotchy lace.

N: Barnyard funk, vinous, wet wood, with some mold/must and fruity, grassy and citrus notes.

T: Mildly tart with some astringency, vinous with oak, and some dusty cheese.

M: Semi-moderate body and carbonation. Dry and fruity finish.

O: Nice and enjoyable. The plums are very faint with the barrel and prominent grapes and funk being the dominate parts to the whole. Just a tad thin.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 02:12:13 | More by wethorseblanket

nrb1

California

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%

03-23-2013 15:36:47 | More by nrb1

mynie

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%

03-23-2013 14:59:44 | More by mynie