TRVE Brewing – Eastern Candle (Batch #2)
ABV: 6.5%
Currently listening to: Absu – Never Blow Out the Eastern Candle

“So take thy hand and join me for elixir,
And we shall ride the portentous serpent tonight.”

In honor of the 20th anniversary of their second album, “The Sun Of Tiphareth,” TRVE Brewing has released the first of four ales dedicated to the mythological occult metal act, ABSU.

Sometimes Belgian-influenced American Wild Ales are beers are introduced to “wild” yeast or bacteria, such as: Brettanomyces, Pediococcus or Lactobacillus. This introduction may occur from oak barrels that have been previously inoculated, pitched into the beer, or gained from various “sour mash” techniques. Regardless of which and how, these little creatures often leave a funky calling card that can be quite strange, interesting, pleasing to many, but also often deemed as undesirable by many.

Eastern Candle is a great example of an American Wild Ale done so right. TRVE Brewing typifies this mythological occult ale as a pale wheat beer fermented with brettanomyces in white wine, California Chardonnay barrels. The ale is a fine equilibrium of wheat and white wine with a slight, fruit-like yeast character. It’s bottle conditioned with Brettanomyces, imparting a distinctive earthy quality. Though farmhouse ales like this are given months of bottle age prior to release, further cellaring will continue to enhance the “Brett” character, if that’s what you’re after.

Waxed crown cap gave a subtle hiss as I cut through the blue paraffin and pried open its seal. This beast of a beer pours a nice, hazy orange with a very, very mild haziness of sediment to it with a fairly dense 1-2 finger off white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty foamy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas has great barnyard funky edge to it, acidic hints of yogurt borderline vinegar lactic acid notes, this beer was aged on white wine barrels. On the second sniff I’m getting ripened pineapple, oak barrel aging effects, a slight buttery note, there’s a lot in here. Very nice aromas with good balance and high complexity. Taste of oak, pear, caramel, bread-crust, pepper, earth, hay, leather, molasses, grass, clove, funk, and yeast spices. Nice balance and complexity of flavor; no cloying flavors at all after the finish. Medium to medium-high carbonation and full body; with a fairly effervescent and bright mouthfeel. Mouthfeel upfront has a rolling carbonation; a bit prickly with acidity and sharp dry finish but the mix of carbonation and dry character seems to treat the beer superbly on the palate. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very good American Wild Ale. Enjoyed this quite a bit despite the high carbonation.

This is a great example of for the style and definitely a beer that I look forward to stashing away in the cellar for a later date. Flavor wise, I hope that some time in the cellar will help this ale showcase bitter yeast and let the acidity collide with big fruits coming through like ripened pineapple, giving off tropical fruit notes. It’s going to be embedded in barnyard/horse blanket type flavor aspects, grassy hay and wet acidity. Think Wet Barn. Think Wet Barn in the woods. No, think Wet Barn in the woods … surrounded by darkness. Wet Barn in the woods surrounded by darkness and in that barn is a single burning candle … Yeah, that’s the jam.

Keep an eye out for the other three installment’s of TRVE Brewing’s dedication to ABSU.

Many hails to Nick, Zach, Will, Melissa and the whole TRVE Brewing crew for this fine brew.

NEVER BLOW OUT THE EASTERN CANDLE!