Brooklyn Wild Streak

Brooklyn Wild Streak is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale aged for several months in second-use bourbon barrels, then re-fermented with blend of priming sugar, Champagne yeast and the wild yeast strain Brettanomyces. This review is for Blend #5.

I’m pretty shocked by the aroma on this, VERY reminiscent of champagne. I know Brooklyn loves to bottle ferment with Champagne yeast but this is the most obvious showing of that I’ve noticed yet! Much more interesting beer notes on the taste with a pleasant Belgian Pale base. Some of the bourbon barrel comes out immediately with a touch of oak and vanilla and moderately strong bourbon. Again the champagne yeast now takes a hold of this beer with a lot of dry white grape flavor and bubbly carbonation. At this point I’m getting no real Brett notes, no funk or sourness. It’s possible that either of these elements could come out with several years of aging, but I’m making no guarantees.

I like this beer, it’s relatively light and easy to drink for a 10% ABV bourbon barrel aged beer. It hasn’t changed my life or anything, but I’m really glad I got to try it.