Back in mid-November I received the Contrarium two-pack from Silver Moon Brewing, a pair of barrel-aged, Brettanomyces-tempered blonde ales. The conceit behind the packaging is that one bottle represents the beer aged only in Chardonnay wine barrels, while the other was aged in a combination of Cabernet, Syrah, and Merlot wine barrels. So there is a “white” variant and a “red” variant.

It’s a clever, beer-geeky bit of aging and packaging that Silver Moon started last year with Boysen the Wood, which was a boysenberry Baltic porter aged in two types of spirit barrels, Oregon Spirit Distillers Straight American Whiskey and Crater Lake Spirits Rye Whiskey. The brewery originally intended to blend the two back together (which they did in fact do, and release), but felt each barreled version was interesting enough to stand on its own, and the dual package was born.

It’s a good idea that lends itself to experimentation and showcases how wood aging can differ from barrel to barrel depending on the type and source (assuming the base beer is used in both). For this year’s wine barrel experiment, infusing a lighter beer with Brett is to my mind a logical starting point, as I would expect the wine character to complement it well. We were not disappointed.

My wife and I opened up the bottles and drank them side-by-side in a sort-of mini-horizontal flight. Here are my review notes and thoughts on each.

Appearance

White and Red Wine: Appearance is pretty identical in color and head size, color, and retention, though the white wine version has better clarity and is bright while the red has a slight haze to it.

Smell

White: Brett notes prominent, with a bit of vinegar (ascetic acid). Some underlying earthy malts and a finishing white wine vinegar note.

Red: Brett is present but mellower overall; a touch of balsamic and noticeable red wine tannins. Overall more mellow than the white.

Taste

White: Earthy, grassy funk, dry, complex oaky tannin quality with a Sauvignon blanc-like tartness. Sharper than the red, with the signature Brett tangy funk and a slight acetone note. Definitely an impression of white wine with a crisp acidity and a clean finish.

Red: Soft, gentle maltiness with pleasantly grassy funkiness that’s understated. Less Brett than the white and less acidity too. More horseblanket flavors come out as it warms, and there is more of a grainy note than in the white, but it’s softly subtle.

Mouthfeel

White: Medium-bodied, dry and crisp finish with a pleasant tart snap at the end.

Red: Medium-bodied but a little lighter than the white, with a soft presence and finish—not as dry and no “bite.”

Overall these are both well-crafted beers, with a gentle handle on the Brett and expressive character picked up from the respective wine barrels. Interestingly, I liked the red wine version better at first, as it expressed the wine and barrel character with a softer presence that was quite pleasant. However as they warmed, the white wine version lost some of its acid edge and developed a lovely crisp finish, so ultimately that one was my favorite of the two.

Sherri was pairing each with chocolate cake as well, and the final verdict on that was with the white she didn’t care for it, while with the red it enhanced the experience. Without the food, she preferred the white version.

Silver Moon is newly calling this two-pack format its “Binary Series” and for 2019 plans to put its Xul Spiced Stout into barrels for special release. In the meantime, this Contrarium is interesting and tasty, particularly if you enjoy Brettanomyces and/or wine influences. It’s worth seeking out as 2018 draws to a close.