Brooklyn Brewery Wild Streak
I initially held out for a while before eventually succumbing to and purchasing this bottle of Brooklyn’s Wild Streak. I’m not sure why I resisted for so long, but I eventually relented — and in the end, I’m glad I did. Let’s let the brewery outline what’s going on within this 750ml cork and caged bottle:
Brooklyn Wild Streak starts off as a Belgian-inspired golden ale. After fermentation and a brief conditioning, we then age the beer for several months in second-use bourbon barrels, giving it a soft, round character infused with nicely balanced oak flavors. Finally we bottle the beer flat and re-ferment it with blend of priming sugar, Champagne yeast and the wild yeast strain Brettanomyces.
Had I read that description earlier, I wouldn’t have waiting so long in purchasing a bottle of this 10% ABV brew. Wild Streak isn’t the best bourbon barrel aged beer available, nor is it the best wild beer. What it’s got however is a solid amount of flavor that reminds me of Allagash’s Curieux but with a twist.
Appearance
Wild Streak pours golden in color with a cap of tawny foam that fell briskly to a thin ring around the glass.
Aroma
Soft, wild yeast leads the way for grain, light malt sweetness, distant bourbon, light fruits, hint of vanilla and subtle woody notes.
Taste
There’s definitely more of a bourbon-y character than wildness in the brew. A soft funk, light sweetness, fruity esters, soft wood and a syrupy mouthfeel combine for a pretty decent overall experience. The bourbon notes linger for a while in the warming finish.
Overall
This beer has got an interesting combination of flavors. It’s got a strong barrel-aged character and a light wild yeast presence, but the two don’t seem entirely happy living with one another. Maybe a little more time in the cellar would serve to help the flavors coexist that much more smoothly.
Rating: 3.75/5
