Craftsman El Prieto Sour Black Ale

Brewed by Craftsman Brewing Co.
Style: Sour Ale/Wild Ale
Pasadena, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler

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Tasted on tap at the Pizza Port Strong Ale Festival 12/5/2008. This sour ale pours a medium black amber color from the tap. Medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is fruit and sweet, with a touch of tartness and vinous sourness. A medium bodied sour ale. The malts are fruity and sweet with a touch of funk. Nice balance. Good carbonation. Sourness is kind of subdued but it hangs around a long time. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sour.

On tap at Stone. Dark brown with no head. Sour apple, cherry, and oak aroma. Sweet and sour cherry and lemon taste with a dry oaky finish.

Tap @ Father’s Office in Culver City. A beer I have not had an equal for. First half of aroma is sour - underripe fruit, harsh grain; then suddenly this is taken hostage by a darker carameled whiskey flavor like a barrel-aged barley wine. The same two-faced character appears in the flavor: step one is a nice dark sour flavor seemingly based on bing cherries; step two is a thick, dark aged quality where all fruit is cast aside and there is only wood, malt, and time. Misses a 10 on flavor because the flavor has two distinct parts: marrying these two heads would be genius. Misses overall points because I don’t know if I have the gumption to drink such a creation again.

Sampled on draft at the Provisions store. It pours dark brown with ruby tinged highlights and an off white head. The aroma is sour black cherries with hints of cocoa and funk. The flavor has black cherry with some lactic, lemony sour pucker and nice graham cracker and cocoa malt quality. Mildly toasty, bretty finish. I really enjoyed this one a lot. I’d get this again any time I see it on draft, which unfortunately for me will not be often enough.

Draft @ Downtown Johnny Brown’s. Pours translucent black color with tan head. Aromas of sour cherries, oak, toasted malt, and oak. Similar flavors with some bourbon, quite sour. Medium body with moderate carbonation. Very nice.

On tap at the 2008 Strong Ale Festival. Poured a dark brown color with a reddish tint and a very small sized off white head. Aromas of lots of roastiness, dark fruits, cherries, and black berries. Tastes of grapes, dark fruits, somewhat vinous, and cherries. Light to medium sour finish.

Tom beat me to it, at my new stomping ground. Tulip at Pizza Port OB. Looks brown/black with garnet edges and a small light beige head, solis thick beige ring. Flavor has some caramel sweetness and light chocolate, moderate lactic acid with some underlying acetic acid. Flavor is nice and sour--mainly clean lacto--with good roast and chocolate towards the dry finish. No burnt notes. Sourness peaked at 5, bitterness 2. Medium full body, low to moderate carbonation. Quite tasty.

Tasted at the brewery. Thanks again to Mark’s for his hospitality. Black (it’s a derivative brew from their baltic porter). It a very nice tasting brew with a grapey-sour finish.

Draft... RBSG ’08... Clear, very dark crimson ale with a mid-sized, creamy, off-white head. Never-ending retention. Soapy, sour aroma * in a good way * with accompanying roasted notes. Full-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and pillow-soft carbonation. Tart, tangy and lightly bitter with nice roastiness. Sweet-tart finish.

Tap at Select Beer Store. Pours clear black with a small, fizzy off-white head, short retention with spare lacing. Aroma is acetic vinegar, figs and plums with light caramel malt and earthy hops. Flavor is sour dark fruit, biscuit and cookie malt with spicy notes and a dry finish. Medium body, warmth and carbonation.