“Why can’t all American Sours be like this?” – Matthew J. Johnsen

Happy New Year’s Eve from Chicagoland! On this festive day, Matt and I pulled what we guessed was our most champagne-like beer our of our cellar, and if I may say so, we nailed it. (Booyah!)

According to the Firestone Walker website, Bretta Rosé is “A low-alcohol Berliner Weisse style ale, acidified and matured in French oak puncheons for 6 months … [with] 1000 lbs. of fresh raspberries … [and] a secondary wild fermentation [of] 4 more months.”

Part of their Barrelworks Wild Ale series, the brewery chose to use locally grown fruit along with local wild yeast in a delicious expression of California’s central coastal region.

Bretta Rosé from Firestone Walker Brewing Company (5.3% ABV)

Appearance: Pinkish-orange, much like a white zinfandel or a rose wine

Mouthfeel: Low to medium body and very lively effervescence

Aroma: Raspberries, green grapes, and a faint hint of funky cheese

Flavor: An amazing balance of acidity and sweetness, this light and fluffy beer could totally pass for champagne. Tannic and tart raspberry juice meet first in the mouth, followed by a pleasantly drying, earthy, and lemony finish.

This beer was everything I hope that 2017 will be: balanced and drama-free. So here’s to next year, a year sure to be filled with happiness, love, raspberries and bubbles.  (What?)

Cheers, and Happy New Year!