Nodding Head The Phunk

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Sampled GABF 2008
This beer has a hazy, light brown color to it and is topped by a tan colored, frothy textured head. The aroma is sour with a backdrop of dry fruitiness that definitely doesn't smell sweet at all; aromas similar to tart plums, fermented raisins, sour apple and some light fig notes all seem to mix together. There are some slight phenolic notes towards the finish that add a bit of an edge to the aroma and provide something like a balancing spiciness. As the beer warms up the nose gets more fruit focused, which allows the cherry note to come out more prominently.

The beer is quite fruity tasting up front and reminds me of plums and a light cherry note. The beer has a nice tartness to it and it has a lightly astringent finish that provides a bit of balance and structure. There is a light wood-like character to this beer as well as some spicy oak like notes. These wood-like flavors are soft enough that they could just be fermentation character; I can't quite tell if any wood aging was actually done here. Some malt flavors start to come through as the beer warms up a bit and provides a nice toasty backdrop to the other flavors. I like the texture of this beer, it is quite drinkable, but there is just enough of a viscous lushness to it to provide some textural balance to the flavors.