Tulip glass filled with beer next to a bottle of Scribbled Lines Moab.

Scribbled Lines is a newer brewing venture from the Lupulin Brewing folks. They’re dedicated to making traditional sour fermentations (no kettle souring here) while also pushing boundaries. Scribbled Lines Moab is a wine barrel-aged dark sour. Here’s how it’s sipping.

Moab Wine Barrel-aged Dark Sour

Bottled in April 2020, this brew was about a year old when Scribbler Lines released it during the Lupulin Brewing anniversary part. It’s wonderful to see brewers willing to put in the time needed to get a great sour to where it should be, rather than turn and burning on it for quick cash.

It pours a deep brown, almost black. Just a couple of bubbles form and instantly disappear. Things look still on the surface.

Huge wine barrel aroma. Dart dark cherry, warm ripe berry jam, red wine, and a light note of vanilla. The sour culture comes through strongly and you can tell it’s gonna be a sour one from the nose alone.

Sweet malt with a medium body fills the mouth. Sweet black cherry, a touch of fig, with dark berry jam flavors coming in late. Oak wine barrel brings a toasty note and a vanilla tannin.

Sweet then balanced with the sour hit of mixed fermentation, it isn’t nearly as sour as the nose implies but nicely balanced. There’s tons of depth and it only grows as the beer warms in the glass.

Dark and Delicious

Moab is delicious dark sour action with layers of flavor that balance sweet and sour.