Wicked Weed featured in Beer VS Beer 2014 beer trends roundup

From Beer VS. Beer:

2014 trends and the best beers that represent them

It’s the end of Beer VS Beer’s first calendar year and I feel like I need to wrap it up somehow. However, I’d prefer not to drop another Top X Beers of 2014 list into that already massive ocean. Instead, I want to tell you about some of the trends I’ve seen in craft beer this year and about the best beers that exemplify those trends.

Sours – Wicked Weed Black Angel Cherry Sour

Sours can be a divisive style, but they certainly gained a lot of popularity this year. No brewery in North Carolina drove this trend more than Wicked Weed. In fact, they seem to be betting that sour and wild ales aren’t just a trend, but instead the new luxury style of American beer. Black Angel certainly meets the requirements for being luxurious. Made with cherries, then aged in bourbon barrels on more cherries, then blended together to make the best possible beer, Black Angel is a testament to Wicked Weed’s devotion to quality and complexity.

The first thing from Black Angel that hits your nose is that strong sour funk, followed by a hint of cherry. The taste is strongly tart, but not too aggressive. There is little sweetness, the tart cherries and souring bacteria have taken out most of it. There is a mild woody aftertaste to indicate that it is barrel-aged, but I personally could not detect any bourbon flavor.

Read the full post highlighting other beer trends here.