A rate of Exchange

Like an increasing number of people, this blog is spending its birthday in lockdown. Happy 15th oulfella.

To mark the occasion I have retrieved something from the cellar that, honestly, I meant to drink a while ago and now seems the perfect excuse. I bought this bottle of The Exchange Δ Spontaneous Ale when I was at the brewery in Niagara on the Lake in 2018. It came lauded by local expert David Sun Lee, with a recommendation that it be let sit for a year before opening. Well, it got that, and a bit more.

Vital statistics: it's hopped with Hallertau, spontaneously fermented and aged in red wine barrels, finishing up at 6.7% ABV from a starting gravity of 1.051. The brewery reckons it's good for cellaring for up to a decade. It pours a deep autumnal golden, like filtered apple juice, and seems quite thick of body, with a stream of bubbles making their way lazily upwards.

The aroma is sharp and tangy; authentically gueze-like, which is a good start. Sure enough the flavour has plenty of that tang, shading a little close to vinegar for my preference, but with plenty of the earth and spice tones which make this such an enjoyable style. The ghost of the wine is present in a mild sweet and juicy side, making me think more of apples again than grapes, with a side order of Faro. This cider quality could be considered a flaw but I think it helps soften the otherwise very sour beer.

I'm glad I opened this now and I'm not sure I would age it much longer. Any more vinegary acidity could ruin it completely. Overall, this does a very good impression of Belgian geueze, and while it wouldn't feature in the top tier, it's better than several of the real thing that I've tasted. Chapeau to The Exchange, and to David.