Perennial Ales Aria
As part of my introductory purchase of Perennial Ales products (the first reviewed was their Woodside), I picked up a bottle of their Belgian-style ale, Aria. This 7.2% ABV beer is brewed with a dash of Brettanomyces Bruxellensis. The additional yeast teases a bit of funkiness throughout the drinking experience, but certainly nothing that is overwhelming.
If anything, the Brett may add a bit too much crispness to the carbonation, creating a beer that drinks more sharply than it probably should. The sensation isn’t completely off-putting, but I’d personally prefer the beer to be a touch softer on the tongue.
On a slightly separate note, I do like the label artwork. It reminds a bit of the recent work that Dogfish Head has had on their products.
Appearance
The bottle gushed a bit upon opening, eventually pouring a golden amber in color with a large stack of rocky foam that left behind decent lacing as it fell.
Aroma
Hay, grass, soft hint of yeasty funk, earthy grains and distant fruits (pear maybe).
Taste
Once the initial gush of foam had subsided, I suspected that the brew would be over-carbonated and it is, carrying the brew’s flavors upon a rather sharp mouthfeel. There’s a good amount of yeasty character and distant fruits that mingle with hay and grain. It all lingers gently with a hint of funk in a surprisingly warming finish. I do like the earthy character that the brew brings.
Overall
When all is said and done, Aria isn’t a bad beer. I think perhaps — and this is the case with many beers using wild yeast — the Brett may have gotten the better of the brewers here. The beer certainly hasn’t gone bad or anything of that nature, but the impact of the additional yeast is probably a little stronger than intended.
Rating: 3.25/5
