The Bruery Framaheim

Back when this bottle was relatively fresh, it was a very pleasant recreation of the classic Belgian framboise, with my only critique being that it was a bit more tart. I'm not sure if it's bottle variance or if they're all aging this way, but in the 6 months since I've last opened one, the acidity has gone through the roof. There's a nice earthy funk in the nose and a bone-dry finish, but they can't mask how bracing this …

Shared with friends at a wonderful holiday party! I haven't had the chance to try this in a few months, and I was a bit surprised at how much less raspberry character there was on both the nose and the palate as compared to my last taste. But the tartness and funk from the base beer was able to shine through and play with, rather than against, the fruit, melding into a smooth, sour but satisfying sip that was both …

I had the chance to share this with some friends, and after waiting quite a while to try this guy, I'm happy to report that it lived up to all of my expectations. The raspberry isn't shy at all, presenting nicely on the nose and popping in a big way on the sip. But the tartness from the berry doesn't overwhelm, and through the palate it plays well with the natural sour character of the base beer, collaborating but not …