Weyerbacher Riserva (2010)
I’m not entirely sure how I missed posting this review, but here we are. I found this bottle of Weyerbacher Riserva (2010 vintage) at Total Wine a week or two before the turn of the New Year and, immediately upon seeing it, knew that there would be no champagne for me as I welcomed in 2012.
This American wild Ale is brewed with a healthy dose of Raspberries before being aged in oak barrels. The sour tartness that this beer carries is enormous it took me several moments to become accustomed to it and even then, wow. Not only does this thing pack a wild, sour punch, but it’s also a hefty brew, weighing in at 11.4% ABV. It was exactly what I was looking to celebrate a darn good year with.
Appearance
Riserva poured an opaque reddish amber with no head.
Aroma
Wow. Sour patch kids (the candy), light wood, raspberries and a solid wild funk fill the air around the glass immediately upon pouring.
Taste
Holy tartness, Batman! This brew packs a hell of a punch that initially masks just about everything else in the beer. Once you become accustomed, however, the raspberries start to come out, hints of wood show up and a Bretty, wild funk arrives to dominate the palate. The mouthfeel is vinous with a soft, delicate carbonation. The higher alcohol is non-existent in the flavors its hard to get anything pass the sour tartness. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Overall
This is not a beer for the faint of heart. Even if you’re a fan of sours or wild ales, this one takes some time to get used to. In the end, however, this year old bottle of Riserva was outstanding and I can only see it improving with a couple more years under its belt. I will most definitely be adding this one to the list of those beers that I absolutely must find again. I’d venture to say that it was probably the best Wyerbacher beer I’ve had and I’m a huge fan of their Blithering Idiot and Old Heathen.
Rating:4.5/5