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The Rare Barrel

Berkeley, CA
Pete - I visited here on a Sunday afternoon. They have a nice beer garden and a very cool indoor taproom with barrels everywhere. They offer half pours and have beers from other breweries also. They also have another brand called Hello Friend to make non-sours and experimental stuff. Food trucks are outside often.

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Hello Friend Donut Ever Let Me Go
Milkshake IPA - 6% ABV
Pete
​     Pictured on the right. Super limey and delicious. There's so many things in it that I'm sure add to it, but I'm quite happy tasting just the lime.

​Ratings: Pete - 6 Shyoh's


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Hello Friend Smoke and a Pancake
Imperial Porter - 10.1% ABV
Pete
     Collaboration with Cellarmaker. Pictured on the right. Absolutely unreal. A hint of maple, pretty roasty, and with an extra hint of smoke. Hides the 10% ABV well.

​Ratings: Pete - 6 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel A Wish For Wings That Work
Sour - 8.3% ABV
Pete
     Incredible beer. Super sour at first, then kiwi and lemon balance it with some fruitiness. The vanilla is subtle, but it rounds out the flavor and mellows the tartness. It even has a tiny bit of funk in the finish.

​Ratings: Pete - 6 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Bae Breeze 2019
Sour - 7.5% ABV
Pete
     This is just a super carbonated rum punch. Really limey. It's OK, but it's also pretty expensive. Not worth the trouble.

Ratings: Pete - 3 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Fire in the Spout 2021
Sour - 7.4% ABV
Pete
     The red one in the photo. It's a little overly salty which hides the fruit that I'm sure would have been nice. Still, went down fast. 

​Ratings: Pete - 4 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Home, Sour Home Batch 2
Wild Ale - 5.8% ABV
Pete
     Pretty sour, with a little saltiness and fruity flavor going down, and finishes a touch funky. There's a lot going on here in a very good way. Delicious. A little expensive, but worth it.

​Ratings: Pete - 6 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel I Want To See You
Wild Ale - 6% ABV
Pete
     Pictured on the left. Very good beer. A little bitterness from the blood orange and fairly tart. I don't get much funk, but that's fine.

​Ratings: Pete - 5 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Kerfuffle 2018
Sour - 7.8% ABV
Pete
     Super tart with a little fruitiness and some extra carbonation to keep you from puckering too much. Delicious.

Ratings: Pete - 6 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Map of the Sun 2018
Sour - 6% ABV
Pete
​     Really sour up front, then leaves a nice fruity finish. The apricot flavor is there, and its subtlety really allows the sourness to shine. It's expensive, but totally worth it.

Ratings: Pete - 6 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel More Mango
Sour - 6.6% ABV
Pete
      Super, super oaky. The mango is definitely there, but this is an oak beer.

​Ratings: Pete - 4 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Nowhere to Go
Wild Ale - 7.9% ABV
Pete
     Pictured on the right. Smells super, super peachy. The flavor is a bit more mild, with a little tartness. Refreshing.

​Ratings: Pete - 5 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Soakin' Up Rays
Sour - 7.9% ABV
Pete
      Good lord. Super sour at first, but finishes like passion fruit/guava juice, making you feel like you're in Hawaii. The above average carbonation helps mellow out the initial sourness, which is perfect because you get to experience it, but it doesn't linger long enough to distract. Unreal. Not cheap, but oh so worth it.

Ratings: Pete - 7 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Stone Age Love 2017
Wild Ale - 5.6% ABV
Pete
     There's a lot going on here: a little bit of cherry, a little funk, a little salty, a little sour. Lots of flavor that somehow comes together in a very drinkable, albeit expensive, delicious beer.

Ratings: Pete - 5 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Strawberry Whine '21
Wild Ale - 8.1% ABV
Pete
     This is awesome. It's like a really oaky wine but strawberry instead of grape. 

​Ratings: Pete - 6 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset, Repeat
Sour - 7.9% ABV
Pete
     Really sour and a little bit of fruit. Definitely taste strawberry, and a little extra sweetness to balance the sour. Excellent. Interesting name, but I think that's better used on a fruitier, less sour beer. 

Ratings: Pete - 6 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Wise Guise Batch 4
Wild Ale - 6.7% ABV
Pete
     Very tart (thanks to the raspberry) and a little oaky. Damn good.

​Ratings: Pete - 5 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel Wizard's Breath
Sour - 6.3% ABV
Pete
     The flavors of this are great. Caramelized pineapple with a hint of smoky from the ancho. That said, there is an overwhelming sweetness from the pineapple that prevents it from blowing me away.

​Ratings: Pete - 4 Shyoh's


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The Rare Barrel World In Motion
Sour - 7.8% ABV
Pete
​     Pictured on the left. Pretty funky and melony. I loved this and my two friends hated it. To be fair, it smells a bit odd. Fortunately, I drank before smelling. I recommend the same.

​Ratings: Pete - 5 Shyoh's