Infinite Dawn (Sour Blonde Ale) Review

Infinite Dawn is liquid genesis, the debut brew in our Outer Reaches Sour Ales series. Fruit forward with a tinge of sour character, this Sour Blonde Ale is a refreshingly rare treat.

Vintage: 2018
Months Aged: 6
Cultures: House Brett, Lacto Blend

Infinite Dawn is the first release in our Outer Reaches Sour Ales series. Talk about the evolution of that program.

This program actually started about 5 years ago. Luke [Cole, Barrel Master] pulled off a 5 gallon batch of Fiction, our Belgian Extra Pale Ale, and inoculated it with a bacteria/yeast blend called Roeselare. The program has grown leaps and bounds from that.

Infinite Dawn aged for six months in a foeder. Describe what’s happening in that wooden vessel.

Secondary fermentation is taking place in the foeder. The bacteria are lowering the pH while the wild Brettanomyces strains are producing complex organic esters yielding a wide variety of fruit flavors.

Infinite Dawn uses our “House Brett.” Talk about the discovery of that culture.

We discovered this variety of Brett while analyzing some beer in the basement. A new variety of Brett was uncovered that was different from the Brett strains that we had previously inoculated beers with.

What are the notable characteristics of this beer?

Very fruity, complex, slightly sour, low bitterness, bright and effervescent.

What makes you want to drink this beer?

It is decidedly different from any other beer we have released in the past.

What are some other Sour Blonde Ales — or fruit-forward sour beers, in general — that you dig?

Russian River Temptation and Oro de Calabaza from Jolly Pumpkin.

Fruit (1-6): 5
Funk: 2
Wood: 2
Sour: 2

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Yellow in color with moderate haze. High head retention, thick white frothy head. High carbonation.
Aroma: High fruity/estery aroma. No hop aroma, low grainy malt aroma. Very complex.
Taste: High fruity esters, stone fruit, mango and berry. No hop flavor. Low grainy malt flavor. Low hop bitterness. A hint of raw oak character on the finish. Very dry.
Mouthfeel: Light body. Very creamy. High carbonation, light carbonic bite. No astringency.
Overall: A complex, creamy, fruity wild/sour ale that does not disappoint.

What foods would pair well with Infinite Dawn?

Cheese board or sushi rolls.

Ideal glassware for Infinite Dawn?

Tulip glass.