Though the weather may have ended things a little early in terms of the musical performances, the beer was a-flowing at this year’s Fort Worth Untapped Music & Beer Festival at Panther Island Pavilion.  Some previously listed beers, like Rahr’s new Visionary Smoked Lager and Shiner’s Strawberry Blonde, did not make it out, but there were still plenty of other delicious beers out there to imbibe.

Local Band Telegraph Canyon at 2015 Fort Worth Untapped Festival

My Top 5 beers at this year’s Fort Worth Untapped Festival:

Brett’s Get It On – Community Beer Co.:  Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of Brettanomyces spiked beers, and I was very reluctant to try this Brett Pale Ale.  Some people really enjoy the funky horse-blanket (yes, that’s a technical term) flavors and aromas off of these wild yeast fermented beers.  That being said, I really enjoyed this beer.  Upon the first sip, you are instantly hit with bright citrusy hops, followed by a mellow moderate amount of Brett that does not overpower any of the other flavors.  This beer is a great balance between flavors and would be a great introduction for anyone wanting to try a wild beer without being overwhelmed. If you are one to lean towards the funky side, let this beer age some and it will develop more of a noticable Brett notes that you crave. I’m certain Community has this in mind and will be setting aside a few kegs for aging.

Molé Temptress – Lakewood Brewing Co.: In the ever-growing line of Lakewood Temptress variations, Molé Temptress literally brings the heat.  A bit spicier than the 2014 version, the 2015 version is still a good balance between the heat of the ancho chiles, bitter chocolate, and cinnamon.

American Sour Red – Collective Brewing Project: A new beer for CBP, this American Sour Red isn’t quite the punch that their Petite Golden Sour pulls, but is a moderate Flanders style sour beer that is a bit easier to drink for those not looking for that heavy vinegar-like pucker.  With their reputation for sour and wild beers, I can see CBP turning into the Crooked Stave of the metroplex.

Bishop Barrel #9 – Saint Arnold Brewing Co.:  Though it may seem like it is waaay too early for Pumpkin beers, I will give Saint Arnold’s a pass for this one.  The Bishop Barrel #9 is last year’s Pumpkinator aged in rum barrels.  The addition of the rum barrel aging gives it an extra kick, as well as highlighting the pumpkin pie spices used.

Betelgeuze – Mikkeller:  Though Mikkeller was not able to send representatives from Denmark, I was able to catch up with Ben from Flood Distribution, who distributes Mikkeller and Jester King, among many other unqiue and different beer brands.  The Betelgeuze is a traditional geuze-style lambic, in which many beer geeks recognize from the Belgian brewery, Cantillon.  The style is slowly starting to catch back on in the United States and isn’t too far from the Gose style, which we recently saw in Martin House’s Salty Lady.

Honorable Mentions:
Sledgehammer – Peticolas Brewing Co.
Bockslider – Martin House Brewery
Kopi Luwak Rapture – Rabbit Hole Brewing
Love Child #5 – Boulevard Brewing Co.
Dragon’s Milk – New Holland Brewing Co.