Peach Climacteric – Weldwerks Brewing Company
Barrel Aged Sour
The Event
On April 8, 2017 Weldwerks Brewing Company released their first sour just weeks after celebrating their 2nd anniversary. In those two years Weldwerks has built a reputation with their Hazy IPA, Juicy Bits, and multiple barrel aged beers such as their barrel aged Mexican Achromatic, known as BAMA. With a stellar reputation it is no wonder they changed their normal routine and sold tickets for this event. One ticket per person and each ticket gave the buyer two beers and the limits were strict. I have been to many bottle releases and I can say that this by far was one of the best run releases I have ever attended. The bar was left open for those wanting a beers or flights while bottle and crowler purchases had their own dedicated line. I was easily 30th in line when I arrived and was done in 10 minutes, more breweries should take this approach.
The Beer
This peach sour beer represents two years of hard work from WeldWerks. It is a combination of pale golden sours that were aged anywhere from 4 to 16 months in oak barrels. After aging those beers with various strains of Brettanomyces 16,000 pounds of fresh, local Palisade peaches were added to the blend. The end count came to approximately four pounds of peaches per gallon.
Visual: Golden and straw colored, a nice fizzy head – it almost glows.
Aroma: Tart, a bit acidic, it declares its sour style immediately. A hint of peaches lingers in the background.
Taste: The sour explodes upon the tip of your tongue but the subtly of the flavor comes out as it moves through you mouth over the rest of your tongue. It is certainly more than tart but it is balanced and the freshness of the peaches balances it out. The mouthfeel is smooth and a bit carbonated. The beer is refreshing enough to enjoy on a hot day or to be sipped at a bottle share. The Peach Climacteric is a foundation sour.
ABV: 7.2%
Overall Beer Rating: 9 out of 10 spades
Hard 12 Brews 
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