Wild Ambition Brewing- Painted Caves

Wild Ambition Brewing- Painted Caves Review

British Columbia’s golden age of beer continues full steam ahead and it’s no different in Kelowna, the province’s third largest city. With more craft breweries than ever before and many opening within the last few years, there is plenty for the beer lover to explore. For the sour fan, the first place to check out is Wild Ambition Brewing. Similar to Ile Sauvage in Victoria, Wild Ambition focuses on mixed fermentation. For such a young brewery, it’s exciting to see that Wild Ambition has already begun releasing barrel aged beers, such as Painted Caves, a barrelled aged dark sour.

Painted Caves, which was aged in French oak, pours dark reddish brown with lasting tan head and excellent lace. It has a nose of dark fruit, dark chocolate and oak. There is big carbonation and a light body. Painted Caves is sour but not too astringent and has a beautiful soft oakiness and moderate tannins. There is mild stewed fruit flavours, a hint of roasty maltiness and a touch of sweetness for balance. It finishes well and softly tart. There is little to no harsh tannins as is often the case with oak aged beers. It has a very clean tartness with little to no lactic acid yogurt note and/or “funk”.

Painted Caves likely has continued aging potential. If you are lucky enough to have this is your cellar feel free to enjoy it now or give it another 6 months to a year.