Bullfrog Liquid Sunshine Reserva

Brewed by Bullfrog Brewery
Style: Sour Ale/Wild Ale
Williamsport, Pennsylvania USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler

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A steady pour into my 25cl tulip glass produces a three finger thick, pale tan colored head that is medium to large bubbled. The beer is a murky amber color that shows an amber tinged, full gold color when held up to the light. The aroma smells of lactic acid and oak notes predominantly. There is a backdrop of mustiness here as well that smells lightly of musky Brettanomyces funk. The lactic notes are actual quite mellow in the aroma and it really is the oak that is the dominant character in the nose; fairly spicy (peppery, a touch phenolic in the oak character with a nice sharpness), with a toasted woodiness as well as a touch of buttery oak character. There is a faint fruitiness here that always plays a supporting role, but can contribute notes of lime, green apple, tart pear and a not quite ripe melon. The aroma is nice, but somehow seem to be lacking a depth and complexity to make it really interesting.

The flavor has a nice tartness to it up front that isn’t really bracing, but definitely noticeable. The oak character is apparent from the get go, but gets a bit more noticeable towards the finish where it supplies a bit of astringency and tannic palate presence. A prickly carbonation couples with the medium-light body, both work pretty well together actually. While the acidity is mostly lactic there does seem to be a touch of acetic acidity here that provides a touch of artificial fruitiness (white wine vinegar sort of flavors, perhaps even a bit of oaky Chardonnay), an artificial sweetness, some textural slickness along with a bite towards the finish. The oak provides quite a bit of spiciness and even a sort of boozy warmth that isn’t actually alcohol.

In some ways this beer is quite bland for a “Wild” ale; if it didn’t have a touch of acetic acid character it would be downright boring. This is certainly not bad, and is in fact quite serviceable, but it really seems to be lacking in the complexity department; the oak and acidity seem to dominate and much of the base beer is lost and there isn’t enough other funky notes to make up for the loss. If sour beers really explode I could see this beer being just as a bland example of the style (sort of the everyman’s Temptation), as it is these are still rare enough that I think a lot of people will really enjoy this as it is perfectly quaffable and nice.

Tasted on 8/20/11 from a corked and caged 750mL bottle obtained in a trade. Pours cloudy, but bright orange with a thin white head that recedes to nothing more than very thin spotty lace. The nose is sour and funky with some lactic notes, lemon acidity, barnyard, and a nice dose of vanilla oak treatment. The flavor is tart and sour with lemon acidity, a lightly lactic note, a bit of light malt flavor that I associate with wheat, and the oaky vanilla flavor. The body is medium with average, stinging, carbonation, and a long wheat malt, sour lemon, and vanilla oak finish.

750ml bottle pours a transparent bright gold with one ring of white head. Nose is apple juice, white grape, sweet, a little candy sugar, pears. Flavor is similar, apple juice, candy sugar, pear, some scented candle. Medium bodied, sweet finish. Fairly straight forward.

Clear golden- straw pour with no head to speak of. Doughy sourness and lactic acid are pretty much all I got from this beer. Hints of vinous grapes and tannic acidity. Ok but not great.

Thanks to MrChopin for this one! Clear golden pour. Bretty tropical fruit, orange, and cheesecloth on the nose. The flavor brings more lovely pineapple and mango, a touch of grainy dough, and light funk. Pretty nice, but not awesome.

750mL thanks to MrChopin. Tepid, hazy peach pour with small carbonation. Small white ring of bubbles. Nose is grainy, wheat, sour mash wheat beer, yellow apples and Bosc pear. Taste is a tad cidery, blander, small acetic acid heat. Mild pineapple fruitiness. Pretty weak sauce overall.

Very bretty with some goat sweat and smoke notes, light plastic. Taste is lightly sweet, some peach and pear, light apple. Nice.

Pale orange brown pour with a thin white head. Oaky wine like aroma. Lightly sweet at first with moderate bitter finish. Lots of wine and grapes. Mostly bitter at the end. Not bad.

Bottle courtesy of MrChopin, thanks! Cloudy deep yellow color, no head to speak of. Aroma of moldy lemons and grapefruit rind. Taste is slightly sour citrus and white bread. Not bad.

Bottle shared by MrChopin: pours a clear deep golden bronze with a thin ring of white head. Has a lightly tart fruity and funky nose with some dark caramel sweetness. Starts with good fullness and mild sweetness with nice balance of tartness and cherries before a drier puckering finish.

The aroma of tangy iced tea almost sour mix. It pours clear syrup amber in color like peach syrup in color with no head. The flavor is tangy and tart with a medium smooth body and dry ending.