Name: Off Trail Event Horizon
Brewers: Far Yeast Brewing Company, Uchu Brewing うちゅうブルーイング (Japan)
Style: Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer (Base Style: Saison)
ABV: 7.5%
Review Year: 2022
Far Yeast Brewing Company and Uchu Brewing teamed up for Off Trail Event Horizon, a combination of two unique beers: a Japanese grape Saison from 2019 aged in whisky barrels for 18 months and a kettle sour Blonde Ale aged in wine barrels with Brettanomyces for 11 months. This blend was then dry-hopped with Citra, Simcoe, and Nelson Sauvin hops. Backlog review from July 2022.
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as a Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer (28B) with Saison (25B) as the base style in the context of the 2021 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version can be found on the BJCP website.
TASTING NOTES
Aroma
Bright citrus fruits (think of lemon zest and pineapple) dominated the aroma at a moderately high level; with subtle citrus-enhancing lactic acid quality.
Appearance
Clear straw; white head with poor retention.
Flavor
Bright citrusy flavors (think of pomelo, lemon, and pineapple) and grapes dominated at moderately high levels; low cedar wood flavor was also present. Medium bitterness; low sweetness; medium-low sourness. Finished on the dry side (absence of sweetness) with lingering notes of wood, citrus fruit zest, and bitterness.
Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied; moderately-high carbonation. Very low tannic astringency.
THE VERDICT
Off Trail Event Horizon is an excellent interpretation of a mixed-fermentation/sour Saison highlighting bright citrus fruit qualities. Subtle astringency can be expected in beers aged/conditioned in wood. Complex, yet all in harmony; this collaboration beer is essentially a refreshing and effervescent summer thirst quencher.
Related Reviews:
Far Yeast Brewing Company
Uchu Brewing
Craft Beer from Japan
