Funky Elf

Brewery: Hornbeer

Type: Sour Ale/Wild Ale

Alcohol: 9.5%

Country: Denmark

So as far as I know this is my first wild fermentation beer. So basically they made a regular Christmas beer and left it to open ferment, or...rot. The label says "not for the conservative types, if you don't want something different then don't buy this beer. Well I do want something different so here goes nothing. Pours a very opaque dark brown, bordering on black. A decent size head that settles quickly into a nice top of foam that sticks around on the top of the beer. The nose is sweet like caramel with a good hint of dark sweet fruits and berries, but there is also a pronounced licorice note. Ok I can't put off tasting it anymore... Wow! I was expecting the taste to be different, but not like this. There is a rapid rush of fruitiness followed very quickly by a sour earthy note. Most people describe these wild beers as "horse stall", I get that, it is a very earthy barnyard type taste. This particular earthy taste is a little drowned out by the "Christmas spices" added in. I can pick up spicy cloves and more then a hint of licorice or anise. I would say this has the same flavor as most Christmas ales (licorice and caramel) but then the wild yeast has gotten in and remixed everything. This makes a really complex taste and a welcome relief from the normal taste of the Christmas ales. I can't taste the high alcohol at all, which is amazing for an almost 10% alcohol beer. Funky Elf may not be the best representation of the wild style, but it is certainly a welcome change in the realm of boring Christmas beers.