Another of Labirratorium's last offerings, and another northern style. Belgian style, in fact, or at least part of Belgium, being that Phi Rhubarb is a Flemish sour ale. It has that cute little bottle that a lot of Belgian beers use, and a pretty modern label. I remember being a little resigned to it, but with shelves being actively dismantled in my presence, I couldn't hem and haw too much. My first and maybe only brush with Alvinne and their contribution to fruited sours. (Actually I have had an Alvinne before, years ago. But not Phi.)
Sour, Belgian-y smell, leaning towards apple cider. Very dark gold, maybe a little bit rusty. Not a lot of carbonation or head to be found. It smells a little syrupy, like there's a powerful punch of alcohol lurking in it, and at 8% it is strong for a fruit sour. It's actually a little bit sweet, like a rhubarb pie, so it has a nice blend of sweet and sour, like candy. It's also pretty smooth drinking, which you might expect from the lack of bubbliness. It isn't exactly syrupy, although it has some body to it. The sourness does build up over time at the back of the tongue, but it's generally a pleasant beer, with just a little spark to brighten up the evening.
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