Big Boss Saints on Raspberries
I was pretty surprised when a box from North Carolina appeared on my earlier this week. I wasn’t expecting anything from any of the breweries that I typically get from Virginia’s southern neighbor. Then, I noticed the original post date on the box — it was from early June. It had taken the U.S. postal service four months to deliver what turned out to be a couple of samples from Big Boss Brewing. My only hope was that the adventure this bottle of Saints on Raspberries wasn’t too extreme and that all would be well once I cracked it open.
As luck would have it, this 4.4% ABV foudre-aged wild ale appears to have survived the trip just fine. Saints on Raspberries has a solid pucker of tartness that hits almost immediately before smoothly and slowly fading to a lasting tingle. Fruity raspberries rise to the occasion as the tartness settles down, providing a light measure of sweetness to accompany hints of wood. The brew finishes clean with a lingering sweetness on the lips to help counter the assertive, though not aggressive wild tartness.
I was pleasantly surprised with Saints on Raspberries. The wild ale is tasty, not overly potent in terms of its tartness and provides a nice bit of woodiness and raspberry fruitiness. It’s a beer that would have been ideal shortly after it was shipped (thanks post office), but still hit the mark on the cold October afternoon during which I cracked it open.
This is a review of a promotional sample.