On Tap.

We’re Barrelled Over By Oak Highlands’ White Wine Freaky Deaky.

Welcome to On Tap! Each week in this recurring feature, we’ll take an in-depth look at one of the many beers now available in the suddenly crowded North Texas brew scene. The goal here is to look at these area beers without our local goggles on and to wonder aloud, “Is this beer good or do I just like it because it’s local?” Should be a fun experiment, no? Cheers to that!

This week, we sipped on Oak Highlands Brewery‘s White Wine Freaky Deaky.

Fast Facts on Oak Highlands Brewery White Wine Freaky Deaky.
Style: Belgian Tripel (aged in white wine barrels).
ABV: 10.1 percent.
International Bitterness Units (IBUs): 46.
Color: Pale orange.
Availability: Limited.

Overview.
I recently reviewed OHB’s Guava Good Kolsch and made a deal with myself to review an OHB base beer rather than a variation on an already-successful theme. But I cannot help myself. When I saw the White Wine Freaky Deaky on tap at On Rotation, I knew I had to have it. Full stop. Freaky Deaky is the base beer for White Wine Freaky Deaky (duh). Sometimes brewers meddle with already-perfect beers with wacky flavor additions or aging. Luckily, though, OHB has produced a winning combination with Freaky Deaky and its white wine barrel flavor addition.

Background on Belgian Tripel.
For a primer on Belgian Tripel, head over to our review of Bitter Sisters’ Belgian Tripel. Belgian style ales are known to have aggressive yeast character, along with high attenuation. The Belgian Tripel is sort of a cousin to the Belgian Strong Ale, except that this beer is a little bit fuller on body, a little bit darker and has a higher emphases on phenolic notes. A beer with phenolic flavor notes sometimes has a medicinal, clove-like or spice situation going on.

Appearance.
White Wine Freaky Deaky (WWFD) pours with a moderate amount of firm white head. Lacing clings to the glass as I expect it to. The beer pours a bit hazy at first, and then it begins to clear after about 20 minutes. I expect this beer to be somewhat hazy, though, since its name teases that it has been hanging out in a barrel for a minute. As I near the end of my pour, the beer turns brilliantly clear.

Aroma.
Like its Freaky Deaky base beer, WWFD has strong orange, clove and spice notes. But WWFD has a chalky, dry finish on the aroma. Compared to Freaky Deaky, some of the roundness of the fruit has subsided, and it has been taken over by barrel flavor. Unlike some bigger winter-ish styles aged in barrels, WWFD’s barrel character is more subtle and it doesn’t hit me over the head. It’s also important to note that WWFD is aged in white wine barrels, and these barrels impart a wholly different sensory experience compared to bourbon barrels. WWFD has a sharpness to the nose imparted by the white wine. What type of white wine was in the barrel before WWFD moved in? I don’t know! But I like it and it works.

Flavor.
Unlike some other Tripels, WWFD has a bit cleaner, dryer finish. The ghost of white wine dances around my palate, and the wine adds crisp complexity and minerality that just isn’t there with Freaky Deaky. Don’t get me wrong, I very much like Freaky Deaky, but WWFD adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the flavor department. And I love it. There’s a moderate level of citrus here in the beer, but probably not from citrus additions. This has funky Belgian yeast flavor written all over it. The hop bitterness is here in full force, but it doesn’t overpower any other major flavor element.

Mouthfeel.
WWFD seems to hide its high ABV very well. The carbonation level is moderately high, and it sort of cranks up all of the other sensations going on here. I don’t get a whole lot of residual sugar in this beer; overall, it’s a very nice mouthfeel. Compared to Freaky Deaky, I think I prefer WWFD better. Whatever the barrel method used here, it seems to have taken some of the boozy, hot notes out from Freaky Deaky.

Overall Impression.
WWFD is a pleasure to drink. This is not a beer that you’re going to shotgun in your back yard or chug at the lake. This is a more-refined, pinky-out sort of brew. All the while, its high ABV demands respect. It’s a sipper, and I’m totally OK with that. White wine barrels are less popular vessels for beers compared to bourbon barrels, and I can appreciate more delicate flavor notes compared to the palate-wrecking vanilla normally found in bourbon barrel beers. In any case, I hope Oak Highlands continues experimenting with barrel-aging some of its beers, because WWFD is excellent.

Score.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give Oak Highlands Brewery White Wine Freaky Deaky a 9.5.

What’s happening in the area brew scene?
• Saturday, May, 28. Bugs & Brews at Bitter Sisters.
• Saturday, May, 28. POG Tournament at Oak Highlands Brewery.
• Sunday, May, 29. Brew-B-Q at Deep Ellum Brewing.
• Sunday, May, 29. Hopped Up Homebrewer’s Challenge at Cobra Brewing Co.
• Saturday, June 4. Craft Brew & Que at Little Elm Park.
• Saturday, June 4. One-Year Anniversary at 3 Nations.
• Saturday, June 11. Untapped: Fort Worth at Panther Island Pavilion.
• Saturday, June 18. Best Little Brew Fest In Texas at Old Town Lewisville.
• Saturday, June 25. Brew Bus Father’s Day Tour.

Previous On Tap Reviews:
• Revolver’s Sangre y Miel: 10.
• Peticolas’ Royal Scandal: 10.
• Community’s Mosaic IPA: 10.
• Peticolas’ Velvet Hammer: 10.
• Community’s Barrel-Aged Legion: 10.
• Community’s Legion: 10.
• Deep Ellum’s Barrel Aged Four Swords: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Saint Dymphna: 9.5.
• Peticolas’ Lost Epic: 9.5.
• Community’s Ascension Porter: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Temptress: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Goatman: 9.5.
• Community’s Public Ale: 9.5.
• Peticolas’ Thrilla in Brazilla: 9.5.
• On Rotation’s Jalapeno Saison: 9.
• Woodcreek’s Bourbon Barrel Bock: 9.
• Lakewood’s Wild Manimal: 9.
• Revolver’s Blood & Honey: 9.
• Martin House’s Imperial Texan: 9.
• Community’s Trinity Tripel: 9.
• Peticolas’ Irish Goodbye: 9.
• Four Corners’ Block Party Porter: 9.
• Cedar Creek’s Belgian Dubbel: 9.
• Peticolas’ Ghost Of Alfred Brown: 8.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Easy Peasy IPA: 8.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Oak Cliff Coffee Ale: 8.5.
• Lakewood’s Rock Ryder: 8.5.
• Rahr’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer: 8.5.
• Lakewood’s Raspberry Temptress: 8.5.
• Collective Brewing’s Urban Funk House: 8.
• Lakewood’s On Call: 8.
• Oak Highlands’ Golden Mustache: 8.
• 903 Brewers’ Crackin’ Up: 8.
• Deep Ellum’s Play Date: 8.
• Rahr & Sons Brewing Company’s 11th Anniversary Russian Imperial Stout: 8.
• Bitter Sisters’ Belgian Tripel: 8.
• Noble Rey’s SteamPunk: 8.
• 903 Brewers’ Citra On Top: 8.
• Bitter Sisters’ Hissy Fit: 8.
• BrainDead’s Gritz: 8.
• Community’s Barrel-Aged Inspiration : 8.
• Cedar Creek’s Fisticuffs: 8.
• Lakewood’s Punkel: 8.
• Four Corners’ El Chingon IPA: 8.
• Martin House’s Day Break: 8.
• Deep Ellum’s GOURDzilla: 8.
• Peticolas’ The Duke (Aged 12 Months): 8.
• Deep Ellum’s Pale Ale: 8.
• Revolver’s Bock: 8.
• 903 Brewers’ Sasquatch: 8.
• Peticolas’ Wintervention: 8.
• Armadillo Ale Works’ Brunch Money: 8.
• Martin House’s Salsa Verde: 8.
• Cedar Creek’s Spinning Mule Robust Porter: 8.
• Lakewood’s Holiday Bonus: 8.
• Lakewood’s Hop Trapp: 8.
• Bitter Sisters’ Knock Out: 7.5.
• Four Corners’ Notorious O.A.T.: 7.5.
• Noble Rey Golden Rey With Raspberries and Ginger: 7.5.
• On Rotation Saved By The Belma: 7.5.
• True Vine’s Unicorn’s Revenge: 7.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Hop Seeker: 7.5.
• Four Corners’ El Super Bee: 7.5.
• Lakewood’s Hopochondria: 7.5.
• Three Nations GPA: 7.5.
• Martin House’s Rubberneck Red: 7.5.
• Lakewood’s Antigoon’s Revenge: 7.5.
• Community’s Texas Pils: 7.5.
• Lakewood’s Zomer Pils: 7.5.
• Cedar Creek’s Dankosaurus: 7.5.
• Oak Highlands’ Guava Good: 7.
• TUPPS Brewery’ Northbound 75: 7.
• Rahr & Sons’ Iron Joe: 7.
• BrainDead’s I Like Harvey IPA: 7.
• Martin House’s Turtle Power: 7.
• Collective’s Petite Golden Sour: 7.
• Shannon’s Chocolate Stout: 7.
• BrainDead’s Red Ale: 7.
• Community’s Razzy Raspberry Witbier: 7.
• Martin House’s Gateway Blonde Ale: 7.
• Bearded Eel’s Purple Unicorn: 7.
• Noble Rey’s Off The Leash: 7.
• Shannon Brewing Company’s Irish Red: 7.
• Texas Ale Project’s Somethin’ Shady: 7.
• Deep Ellum IPA: 7.
• Cedar Creek’s The Lawn Ranger: 7.
• Martin House Brewing Company’s Cellarman’s Reserve IPA (Amarillo).: 7.
• Lakewood’s Till & Toil: 7.
• 903 Brewers’ The Chosen One: 7.
• 903 Brewers’ Sugar On Top: 7.
• Martin House’s Gateway XPA: 7.
• Armadillo Ale Work’s Quakertown Stout: 7.
• Revolver’s High Brass: 7.
• Community’s Pale Ale: 7.
• Oak Highlands’ Chump Change: 7.
• Martin House’s River House: 7.
• Grapevine Craft Brewery’s Sir William’s Brown Ale: 7.
• Community’s Funnel Cake Ale: 7.
• Audacity’s Boss Raptor IPA: 7.
• Collective Brewing Project’s Mom Azacca: 6.5.
• Four Corners’ La Lechuza: 6.5.
• Revolver’s Ironhead IPA: 6.5.
• 903 Brewers’ Trot Line: 6.5.
• Peticolas’ Operation Collaboration: 6.5.
• Grapevine Craft Brewery’s Nightwatch: 6.5.
• Peticolas’ The Duke: 6.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Double Brown Stout : 6.5.
• Nine Bands’ Cactus Cat: 6.
• Martin House’s Kafkaesque: 6.
• TUPPS’ Cotton Mill Gold: 6.
• Rabbit Hole’s Tweedleyum: 6.
• Rabbit Hole’s Off With Your Red: 6.
• Cedar Creek’s Elliott’s Phoned Home Pale Ale: 6
• Grapevine Craft Brewery’s Lakefire: 6
• Armadillo Ale Works’ WunderMelon: 6
• Deep Ellum Pale Ale: 6
• Lakewood’s La Dame Du Lac: 5.5.
• Martin House’s Mind On My Money: 5.
• 903 Brewers’ The Land Of Milk And Honey: 5.
• Deep Ellum’s Numb Comfort: 5.
• Four Bullets’ Black Jack Brown: 4.5.
• Four Corners Heart O’ Texas: 4.
• Audacity’s Sunset Boulevard: 4.
• Shannon Brewing Company’s IPA: 4.
• Grapevine’s Monarch: 4.
• Twin Peaks’ Dirty Blonde: 3.
• Franconia Wheat: 3.
• Miller Lite: 1.