Welcome back craft beer dabblers, aficionados, advocates, and stewards. Let’s get a little crazy this week with some wild yeast! Yes I said wild yeast, those who are uninitiated or skeptical of this, do not fear! Wild yeast is a magical thing and will bring you many new beer horizons. Let’s get down to flavor town.

Today we are going to visit part of the world of TRiNiTY Brewing Company. Located in Colorado Springs, CO, they have been making sour, funky, and some tame beers over the years, they are steadfast and follow their philosophy quite clearly, “At Trinity Brewing we not only brew the most “Artisanal Beer” in town, we also make huge efforts towards eco-sensativity. We custom built our pub from nearly 100% recycled materials! A number of our beers are even produced in large wooden barrels which previously housed wines or spirits. Whether reviving ancient traditions, or coming up with completely new ideas, our beer will always be challenging for your pallet.”  Retrieved from TRiNiTY Brewing Co.

Today we will be taking a journey on one of TRiNiTY’s series of Brettanomyces beers. Brettanomyces, or “Brett,” is at its simplest, a wild strain of yeast, that is responsible for imparting some really funky flavors — Musty, Horse Blanket, Earthy, Barnyard, Funky, sometimes sour and tart. This is going to be a series of 7 different Brett strains, a “Tour” if you will. This will be tour number two and will feature Brettanomyces Bruxellensis – say that five times fast! The brewery states that this “Brettanomyces bruxellensis version is heavy with a drying leather bitterness, light nuttiness, and farmhouse wool blanket.” Let’s see if that holds true.

Brewery: TRiNiTY Brewing Company — Colorado Springs, CO
Beer: Magican Brettanomyces Tour No. 2 Brett Buxellensis — American Wild Ale
ABV: 5.6%
Cost: $9.99 / 375ml Bottle

Appearance (4.0/5) —Pours a light pale yellow color, very clear with just the slightest hint of haze to it. There is a light white head on it that fades quickly but tries to leave some lacing left behind.

Aroma (4.75/5) —Smells of bright white wine notes and oak, lots of light grape, green apple, citrus fruit, lemon, hay, fresh cut grass, barn yard, horse blanket, wool, musty, fantastic.

Taste (4.5/5) — Tastes mostly like the nose, if not just a little bit less intense. There is a nice bit of funk here, without being overpowered. Tastes like waking up at sunrise and walking through the field to the stables whilst eating an apple and sipping on a dry white bubbly wine. This is fantastic with depth and range of flavors, a true showcase of Brettanomyces.

Mouthfeel (4.0/5) — Light-Medium bodied, ample carbonation, nice finish left behind.

Overall (4.25/5) — Fantastic overall, this was a bit unexpected, easily one of TRiNiTY’s best offerings. Highly recommended.

It’s unfortunate that TRiNiTY only brewed this one once, though it will likely age well in the bottle, I encourage you to try it fresh for the full effect. Do not fear the Brett! This could be paired with a nice light fish, or some lightly sharp cheese. But I believe it should be tasted on its own to get the full effect

Cheers!