Alpine Beer Company Ichabod Ale (2009)

Formerly brewed at Alpine Beer Company (CA)
Style: Sour Ale/Wild Ale
Alpine, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler

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A solid pour into my Lost Abbey Teku glass produces a two-finger thick, pale tan colored head. The beer is a dark amber color that shows an almost clear, gold tinged, light amber color. Up front the beer smells most prominently of lactic acid up front; tart and inviting with a supporting backbone of spicy and woody oak character. Somehow the lactic acidity reminds me a bit of creamy lemon or tart grapefruit. Really the oak and acidity are the most prominent in the nose, and I really don’t smell much in the way of Pumpkin and spices. Having just said that I think I am getting a sort of round, soft, nutmeg and / or cinnamon note that almost brings out a caramelized note just a bit towards the finish. Hmm, and now there is a distinct note of woody black pepper that melds in with a soft mustiness. As the beer warms the soft, round spices become a touch more prominent, but it is never more than subtle, which is exactly what I was hoping for. The oak character becomes quite a bit more prominent as the beer warms up during the second and third pours, but never providing more than a solid, spicy / woody backbone.

Very nicely tart tasting with a solid grapefruit like acidity; the lactic acid adds a lushness to the palate and it coats the mouth. There is a nice prickle to the texture from a persistent, but not overly aggressive carbonation; the prickle is actually boosted by the acidity and this is actually probably the main source of the prickly “texture” as the actual carbonation is quite slight. The finish has a soft, lingering, almost woody, nutmeg like note to it. There is a certain earthiness to this beer, it is quite subtle and somewhat accentuated by the hint of spices, the woody oak notes and the oak spiciness. At times the acidity here adds a flavor that is quite substantially of sour grapefruit, it is quite refreshing and tasty. Towards the end of my last glass I start to get a squash like flavor in the finish; it is wrapped up in the tartness, but also has a touch of vegetal squash flesh to it. At times the acidity seems to somehow accentuate a perceived sweetness in this beer, which in turn accentuates a lightly caramelized and even chewy grain character.

The actual pumpkin character here is quite slight, in fact I can’t really say that I can pick it out, the spices too are slight and I really like how soft and subtle they are here as I hate when these get over done. I really like the creaminess that the texture has, the malt body and lactic acidity combine to create quite the lush character without keeping this from being quaffable. The funk here is quite simplistic in some ways as it is definitely focused on the lactic character; this character is lush and well integrated and is just bracing enough to keep me quite interested. This does not really have a wild, funky, or Brett influenced, but I can’t say that I am missing the wildness that I so like in Lambics; this beer manages to work quite well without it. This is quite the nice beer, easily one of my favorite beers with pumpkin / pumpkin-spices in it, though this is clearly not the focus in this beer, but both do contribute subtly to the profile of this beer. A very well done beer that I have thoroughly enjoyed and which I am quite disappointed to find that my last glass so quickly disappears.

The beer pours an orange color with a white head. The aroma is full of sour pumpkins, cinnamon, nutmeg and some light tart fruit notes. The flavor is similar and is exactly what I expected from a sour pumpkin ale. The pumpkin notes definitely come through, and have some tartness to them which goes very well. I also get some light cinnamon, nutmeg and clove notes. The tartness level is about medium. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A unique beer that I am glad I got to try.

750 ml bottle via BA trade. Pours a hazy copper color with an orange hue and a fairly large beige head. Notes of sour berry fruits, caramel malts, apples, funk, fall spices (nutmeg, ginger), oak, red wine, mild vinegar, and a little bit of lactic acid. Medium-bodied, with medium carbonation and a tart, funky, acidic mouthfeel. Really complex, interesting sour. I enjoyed it.

UPDATED: MAY 1, 2012 Bottle shared at Dark Lord Day 2012 (Munster, IN). Pours a rich hazed deeper amber orange hue, healthy haze body, with a frothy tannish head. Aromas are sour cherries, lactic acid, and bretty funk. Really nice sourness, oak, and biscuits. Bready malts, more sour cherries, red wine, touches of vinegar, vanilla, and cobwebs. Initial is medium bodied offering firm sourness up front, sour cherries and red wine, touches of red grapes, oak, and growing lactic acidity. Funky brett, oak, and some firm acidity, touches of red wine vinegar, more sour cherry. Middle leaves sourness, oaky tannins, and some voinegar elements. Lactic acidity, firm bretty funk. Trailing sour cherries, red wine. Pretty nice, medium bodied with a touch lighter element, pretty drinkable. Didn’t get much of the pumpkin or spice elements.

(22oz bottle, courtesy of Mora2000) Pours a clear orange body with a medium off-white head. Aroma of pumpkin, light roasted malt, cinnamon, caramel, citrus, and berries. Flavor of lemon, pedio, caramel, cinnamon, light vinous, and grass with a dry finish.

Bottle, 22oz. An almost clear one, golden in color and with a finger-thick off-white head. The aroma has some vinegar and lemon, a touch of dried fruits as well as berries and some vanilla. Quite interesting. Berries, dried fruits, lemon, some vinegar and a touch of vanilla in the flavor. Medium bodied, dry and semi-tart on the palate. A really tasteful one, but I think it hides the spices a bit too much. Might be the age I guess. 110930

Bottle shared by richiesd at Toronado. Thanks again! It pours orange with a white head. The aroma is sweet and sour with baking spices. The flavor has lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, noticeable vegetal gourd and some light vinegar. Nice woody vinous notes as well. Very weird beer that seems to be going down hill a bit. Still an interesting one though. Unlike any other beer I’ve had.

Pours medium to dark brown, small head dissipates quick. Nose is vinegar, sour cherries, grapes, pumpkin, spice, vanilla and rich would. Dare I say mahogany? Flavor is sweet slowly creeps toward sour until the finish kills it with sour. Complex as he'll. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bottle. amber colour with a beige head. Aroma is sourness, berries, wood. Flavour is sourness, berries, brett, wood. Very nice beer.

Bottle shared by the very generous richiesd! It pours slightly hazy orange-amber, with a thin white head. The nose is red grape, sweet tangerine, pumpkin, wood, vinous aspect, tartness, Granny Smith apple and some spice. The taste is initially tart lemon, sour green apple and white grape, then smoothes out to spice, pumpkin, wood, clementine and tangerine, with dryness in the finish. Medium body and fine, prickly carbonation. Very well balance - it’s shouldn’t work, but it does!

Bottle from Bill.
Pours a chunky amber with a nose of cherry leather blanket. Flavor is tangy cherry, blanket, and leather must. Tingly on the tongue. Awesome.