Brewery – Urban Artifact
Beer – Pocket Watch
Style – Midwest Fruit Tart
ABV – 8%
PH – 3.3

A pocket watch was an important tool during the expansion of the US railroad network in the 19th century.  Be on time; find your pocket watch.

This Midwest Fruit Tart has 1,000lbs of Concord Grape, 1000lbs of Black Currant, 1,000lbs of Red Plum and 30g of vanilla beans per 30bbl batch.

The first release from Cincinnati’s Urban Artifact Brewing Company was a great one to represent a big part of who this brewery is.  Pocket Watch is a beautiful, tart masterpiece of a beer.  If you don’t know much about the brewery, know that they may not have invented this style (the Midwest Fruit Tart) but they definitely put a name to it.

The beer falls right in line with the rest of their lineup of heavily fruited sour beers.  Thick bodied, and beefy in the ABV to match up with it… they go down way too easy.  The beers tend to fly of shelves when they are released, which is good because they are best drank super fresh.  Don’t stash these away in your beer cellar!

As for this one specifically?  It’s really good.

My Thoughts On Urban Artifact Pocket Watch

I was afraid of the Concord grapes.  I was afraid that this beer was going to remind me of really cheap wine, or a glass of grape juice, but I should have trusted in Urban Artifact better, it doesn’t do either of those things.

In the glass the beer pours an amazing red, purple color.  You can’t see through the liquid, no matter what light you put it up to.  Thick… milkshakey… it’s awesome.

The aromas are big bold red fruit.  I definitely get the Concord grape right up front, but behind it is a big of softness, it doesn’t cut off like Concord grapes tend to for me.  There’s a lingering scent of ripe fruit that I like.

When I tasted the beer for the first time, the tartness caught me off guard – this is pretty tart.  It reminds me of a sweet tart as I sip away at it, though.  Certainly sour, but there is a great sweetness that backs it up.  The fruit is there, but it plays a perfect role next to the sour character.  This beer showcases sour as much as it showcases fruit, and I love that.

Leave a Comment.