Almanac Farmer's Reserve Citrus (2014)

Citrus and beer have always made a great pair, ever since the first lemon wedge was added to a cold wheat beer. Here we expand on that tradition in a new way, melding the intensely aromatic zest of Buddha’s Hand citrons with the bracing tartness of Bergamot oranges in a sour blonde ale aged in wine barrels. Pair with sushi or flakey white fish or contrast with earthy roasted root vegetables.

3.8

168 reviews

Alameda, United States

Community reviews

3.9 Clear bright gold yellow. Nose of lemon and light wheat. Crisp with light lemon tartness. Was great with sushi, but second fiddle to the Rare Barrel Soliloquy.

4.2 Pours hazy yellow quirky nose but excellent orange lemon tartness. Such a delicious refreshing golden citrus tart beer. I could drink this every day.

4.0 Pours a slightly hazy neon yellow with no head. Funky up front aromas merge and give way to large amounts of citrus. Lemons and oranges. Oak aromas keep it grounded. Intensely dry and tart citrus flavours. Almost like biting into a lemon. A barnyard note hits the mid palate before returning to a milder citrus sour bite. The finish is dry and short.

3.8 Draft at ebp. Pours a cloudy pale orange with a loose creamy white head. Big tangy nectarine and mandarin nose. Juicy and intense. Creamy medium body with lively carb. Tangy, juicy mid palate with puckering bursts of nectarine and mandarin. Gorgeously flavorful. Long tart finish.

3.3 Fonefan 251014. Dark golden colour with an off-white head. Aroma is sourness, yeast, citrus, funk. Flavour is sourness, yeast, citrus, funk, lemon. Medium body. OK beer.

3.3 Bottle sample at a tasting at Troubles’ place. Thanks Stas and Vova. Quite opaque gold-yellow. Citrusy and lactic aroma at once. Dry and very sour taste. Light-to-medium body, sour finish.

3.7 Re-rate 7/15: Bottle in Yuvalim. Sour, lacto, funk, oak, vinegar, citrus. Very good. 8/3/8/3/16=3.8 Bottle sample at a tasting at Dror?s place. Thanks Vova. Hazy yellow. Aroma is kinda lactic, with wine, citrus, cookies, and a bit of vinegar. Very sour flavor, citric, with vinegar, some lacto, wine and oak. Medium-bodied. Very nice. 7/3/8/3/15=3.6

3.4 Thanks to Bytemesis (iou a shipment)! This 2014 vintage bottle poured a yellow orange with a very fizzy white head that dissipated quickly. Aromas of Brett, citrus, lemon. Flavor is tart and crisp. Tasty.

4.0 Pours a light gold with a paper thin head that disapates quickly. Aroma of funk, oak, grapefruit and orange peel. Taste is sour, bitter citrus, slightly cheesy, white wine and oak. Nice funky sour.

3.9 Bottle purchased at The Davis Beer Shoppe. The aroma has a bit of a floral, cheesy character present. Light acidity and fun with a little melon aromatics. Transparent golden body with a medium, fairly strong white head present. Starts with a sweet, lightly acidic and citrus lemon flavor. Nice biscuity maltiness in the middle. Finishes with mild to moderate tartness. This is really well balanced and not too crazy sour. This is enjoyable.

3.4 375 ml bottle at home. Pours clear yellow to golden, fine bubbly white head, dissapearing quickly. Fresh aromatic sherry alike nose, with touches of Chardonnay. low on citrus, rather high on lacto notes. Very light body, very tart and light acidic undertone, getting fuller to the end. Dry tart finish. Taste is a bit like the spice of American saisons, and yoghurt. Interesting beer

3.4 bottle shared by tom10101, thanks bro! pours unclear bright gold with a small whtie cap showing minimal retention and lacing. bretty, cheesy, very citric - linear, astringent herbs and spices, light to medium acidity - sharply acetic, pepper. light carbonation, light body, dry and sharp citric-herbal finish. linear citric/citrus acidity but not puckering. interesting offering though.

3.5 Bottle 375ml. Thx bro-Tom10101@dudetothe.dawg Pours blond with low white head. No lacing. Aroma is of fruits, yogurt, citrus. Taste is of fruits, acid, citrus, bergamot. Palate: Light body. Soft carbonation. Overall: Light. Citrus is quite nice.

3.4 Pours a clear golden wth a medium white head that fades fast and leaves some lacing. Nose is of citrus, vinegar and some really faint herbs. Taste is of citrus, not too acidic (but still a lot) and oaky. Body is medium, carbonation as well and it is really refreshing. Overall a good but not great sour.

3.6 Bottle (375 ml). From Marcus, thanks! Appearance: Slightly hazy golden with a small white head and little lacing. Aroma: Bright citrus/lemon with brettanomyces along hints of white wine and spices. Taste: Quite citrusy/lemony here too with brettanomyces, moderate to medium citric acidity, light herbal presence and hints of spiciness. Palate: Light to medium body. Medium to lively carbonation. A bit oaky mouthfeel. Dry and citric finish. Overall: Bright and tasty citrus/lemon presence, but other than that it’s rather unidimensional. Despite the citric presence, it’s drinkable and enjoyable. Not on the level of the best sours I have tried from Almanac so far (Farmer’s Reserve 1 & 3 comes to my mind), but definitely not one of their worst either.

4.1 Pour out of 375 ml bottle, slightly hazy orange pour with thin white head, aroma brought notes of big lemon, oak, white wine, biscuit, some nice lacto notes into some earth, vanilla. Taste is a mix of tart lemon, orange, oak into a bit of white fruit, white wine, some bread notes, finishing tart, slightly dry. Very tasty, although not super complex.

3.9 Une infusion massive d’agrumes pales dans un liquide plein de clarté. C’est assez juteux et acidulé avec une acidité résidente à défaut d’une amertume. Franche et longue sécheresse en bonus, belle offrande d’Almanac.

4.1 Big thanks to Doug for sharing! Turbid straw colored pour, decent sized white fluffy head. Nose and flavor bring huge tart orange, grapefruit, pommelo, phenomenal citrus character. Tart, drinkable, quenching. Awesome beer, especially in the summer.

4.2 Draft at Tap and Handle. Fresh, dank, sour and tart with notes of oranges, lemons and light oak. Medium bodied and easy to drink with a refreshing finish. One of my faves from the CSA tap takeover.

4.1 375ml bottle thanks to bytemesis! Pours semi clear pale yellow with a finger of head. Nose is tart dusty lemon and lime zest, a bit of ginger, spicy funk and hints of peppery yeast. Taste is citrus forward with dry tart lemon lime, balanced lacto acidity, low funk, hints of tannic oak. Finishes with tart lemony citrus, soft lacto cheesy notes, some subtle lingering cereal grain. Quite nice.

3.4 Bottle. Light funky nose, distinct peanut cookie note, a bit of barnyard. Hazy thin medium orange color. Puckering citrus initial, more tart fruit, and finishes with yet more tingling spikes of citrus and a bit of pepper. Thin and astringent. Pleasant enough. Doesn’t really go anywhere. Only similar citrus notes throughout. Okay.

3.8 Pours a soft lemon rind/straw yellow with a touch of haze and thin white head. Nose is very acidic from the front with citrusy notes and some acetic acid. Vinous notes and tannic oak find their way in as well with a touch of bitter grass on the end. Pretty upfront acetic tartness in the flavor with some geueze-ish qualities. Very dry and acidic with a lean finish and vinous quality.

3.8 Bottle. Hazy bright yellow. Big citrus punch in the flavor with a very crisp, light feel. A lot of lemon. One of the best almanacs.

3.9 Bottle. Hazy gold with little head. Initially very lactic but lemon and mint notes become very prominent over time. Excellent.

3.8 Bright golden color, lace, cloudy. Funky and bright nose, yogurt, orange and lemon, grapefruit. Dryer, more tart than the Devil’s Advocate, less lactic character, interesting peanut butter cookies. Lemony flavor, just of bit of stone fruits. Light, crisp, and dry. Good.

3.4 Bouteille 37.5cl. Couleur dorée, tirant sur l’orangé, col blanc. Arôme est fruité modéré sur notes d’agrumes. Rétro de grains apportant cette pointe de céréales. Effluves astringentes rappelant les oranges sanguines. Palais on retrouve les grandes dignes d’un côté brett et sauvage maintes fois visités. Boisé modéré sur des notes de brett qui restent tout autant basique. Agrumes avec cette impression de bergamote et de léger vin blanc - boisé. Effervescence reste haute et tart avec une petite note vanillée en fin de bouche et de boisé. ok, mais rien d’exceptionnel et le brett retombe dans la catégorie utilisée par trop de brasserie.

3.5 Citrus with some tangerine and a hint of lemon. Slightly hazy yellow pour. Big citrus sourness. Getting more citrus now that my pallet has adjusted (read: tastebuds have been tart bombed). A hint of oak and kumquat in the finish. Very good, but I don’t know why I keep shelling out $11 for a small bottle of sour. Come on brewers. Get more of this stuff out there!

3.9 Bottle. Hazy hay yellow liquid with small white head. Aroma of lemon, grain, earth, citrus peel and apple skin. Taste is dry and medium sour with notes of lemon, citrus and apple skin. Light to medium bodied with medium carbonation. Pretty nice.

3.8 Sample at a tasting with Joris and Mathieu87. THX for sharing! APPEARANCE: clear blond beer, small unstable white head. NOSE: citrus, lactic, oak. TASTE: oak, dry, bitter, lactic.

4.1 Bottle pours hazy yellow with quick fading fizz. Aroma is funky grassy hay and citrus. Taste is similar with a dry tart and sharp citrus.