Tesso
Brewery: Austin Beerworks
Style: Wild Specialty Beer (28C)
Package: 750ml Bottle
Purchased: Beer to go!
Packaged Date: N/A
Consumed Date: August 18, 2020
Details From the Brewer
ABV: 4.6%
As Tesso slept in red wine barrels and a stainless tank, it grew iron claws and steely fangs. A flora undertone masks its iron bitterness. Inside its simple pils and wheat malt heart lives a resolute creature.
Review
Aroma – 10/12
Hay and lemon jump out at just over medium level on the nose. Subtle floral notes blend in with a light peach. There’s a low sweetness reminiscent of a sugary/chalky candy. Light white pepper notes. Some doughy and grainy malt notes.
Appearance – 3/3
Light straw colored liquid. There’s a giant head of various bubble sizes that lasts with great retention. The beer pours clear originally, then quickly fills in with a subtle haze as the bottle is disturbed.
Flavor – 18/20
A light orange and lemon citrus. Floral and cracked pepper quickly join in. There’s a low bitterness here that balances some of the phenolic zest. A touch of honeydew and longan fruit. A light amount of crackery malt comes out with a stronger bread dough flavor. Some oak character peaks out towards the end. The finish is slow, leaving subtle brett flavors. Nice minerality on the finish with a subtle acidity.
Mouthfeel – 5/5
Very soft on the mouth with a pillowy character. A high carbonation gives a bit of a bite to the finish. A slight wood astringency on the finish. No warming character.
Overall Impression – 9/10
A spectacularly constructed beer. The light and delicate flavors work so nicely together. The only minor tweak I would do is to lower the brett character a touch, but it’s probably only elevated now due to aging. That said, this just works so nicely.
Rating – 45/50
This was such an enjoyable beer. By far, its my favorite wild/sour I’ve had from Austin Beerworks. If they release this again, I’ll be buying multiple bottles. While it’s a bit more expensive that Jester King’s Le Petite Prince, the increased wheat character just works so well. I’d pair this with so many foods.
