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Ghosts in the Forest

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A blonde sour that puts the complexity of Brettanomyces and oak up front. It slumbers for 18 months as a blend from the brewery's oak foeders and a few select French oak barrels. The foeders were new, so the brewers had to be patient while the oak did its work; Tomme Arthur says three more vessels have since joined them to create their own 'forest'. 6.1% ABV.

ABV
6.1%
Bitterness
Mild
SRM
golden5
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
souroakfunky
sour
oak
funky
yeasty
earthy
fruity
Aroma
The nose leads with aged oak and Brettanomyces funk—earthy, slightly leathery notes that evolve into subtle orchard fruit and dried citrus zest.
also:tart
not found:hoppy,caramel,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Ghosts in the Forest

◎ Appearance

A pale golden hue with excellent clarity, revealing the beer's luminous character. The head is delicate and fine-grained, settling into a thin persistent ring with modest lacing around the glass. Carbonation is restrained, appropriate for an 18-month oak-aged wild ale.

pale goldclearfine lacinglow carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with aged oak and Brettanomyces funk—earthy, slightly leathery notes that evolve into subtle orchard fruit and dried citrus zest. Underlying yeast character adds a light bready-vinous quality without sharpness. The 18-month maturation in new foeders and French oak creates a complex, layered bouquet.

aged oakBrettanomyces funkdried fruityeasty complexity

◐ Taste

Entry is clean and moderately sour, building into a tart mid-palate where oak tannins and funky yeast phenols dominate. The acidity is bright but never astringent, allowing the drying oak influence to frame the beer's natural dryness. Bitterness remains low (15 IBU), letting wild fermentation character take full stage.

bright acidityoak tanninsfunky phenolsdry palate

◑ Finish

The finish is long and dry, with lingering oak and faint earthy funk that slowly fade into a clean, mouth-drying aftertaste. Complexity persists through the tail without any harsh edges.

dry fadepersistent funk
86
hopIQ score
Aroma
88
Taste
85
Appearance
84
Finish
85
Serve at 6–9°C

Serve at 6–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Ghosts in the Forest

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About American Wild Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a American Wild Ale?

American Wild Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar American Wild Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same sour, oak, funky character as Ghosts in the Forest will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all American Wild Ale beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →