About the Beer: Off the coast of Massachusetts, on the tiny island of Nantucket, lies a brewery called Cisco.  Though a small brewery, Cisco exports beer to most of the eastern seaboard, including all of New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and even down to Florida. However, those outside of the Massachsetts area might be a little less familiar with the brew we’re going to look at this week: The Lady of the Woods.

The Cisco motto, “Nice beer if you can get it,” rings remarkably true with this one.  As part of a barrel series that Cisco is calling simply “The Woods,” The Lady of the Woods is a version of their witbier, the Grey Lady, that has been aged in oak chardonay barrels. The result is a sharper, sourer, and more complex version of the original – one that’s a bit more like a malty sparkling wine than a beer.

In a Nutshell: Cisco’s bubbly Lady of the Woods is a tart, tasty treat for beer-lovers and newbies alike.

Review: If you’ve had the pleasure of tasting Cisco’s fantastic Grey Lady, you’ll be familiar with the basic flavor of this beer. However, don’t underestimate how much difference a oak barrel and some aging can make. In addition the bottle I opened had been stored in my ad hoc beer cellar for several extra months. This beer pours a beautiful yellow color puntatued by an abundance of bubbles – this is a very carbonated beer, but it works well with the flavors. In fact the bubbles heighten the degree to which this tastes like a sweet champagne. It’s dry with subtle tart apple & grape flavors and a slightly more malty aftertaste. On the bottle they claim that, “This is an adventurous ale for an adventuous palate.” While I think that’s partially true, I also think this is a remarkably accessible beer – one that might be a great cross-over for someone who enjoys wine but thinks all beer tastes like Bud Lite.

This is certainly a nice beer. If you can get it, get it.

Rating: 4 out of 5