Golden.
That's how this earthy wild yeast beer looks. It's also how it tastes—golden.
Really, it's a tremendous golden Belgian ale. The made-in-Bend Sahalie comes bottled in a handsome 750-milliliter corked package, which only adds to its allure. The sour taste, lovely carbonation and rich head—all of it just seemed so damn unique. Turns out it is.
Wild yeast beers are made when the brewer purposefully leaves the top off of the brewing tank. Such brews are hard to replicate since the beer absorbs the specific yeasts and bacteria floating in the air. Because Ale Apothecary brewer/owner Paul Arney's site is situated in the woods at end of Skyliners Road, we believe he's able to capture that extra little bit of wild woodsy-ness that makes his brew so special.
And lest you think this is some new-age brewing silliness, know this: Spontaneous fermentation has long been practiced by brewmasters in the West Flanders region of Belgium.
It's not surprising that Arney is totally sold out of beer. It's also not surprising that the reviewers on beeradvocate.com give this 9.83% ABV sour a near-perfect score.
Some will balk at the price. Look here—you didn't buy your sleeping bag at Wal-Mart, you paid good money for it at a gear store. So go to a bottle shop and spend your hard-earned dollars on quality.
$25 at Broken Top Bottle Shop & Ale Café, 1740 NW Pence Ln. #1. $23.99 at Newport Market, 1121 NW Newport Ave. The Brew Shop is sold out, but it was selling for $23.85. They hope to get more soon.
