Grapefruit Gose
Brewery: Real Ale Brewing Co.
Style: Fruit Beer (29A)
Package: 12oz Can
Best By Date: 6/22/18
Purchased: Whichcraft – Mueller, Mar 2018
Details from the Brewer
ABV: 4.4%
OG: 11.35P
IBU: 5
Availability: Mar-May
A historic style from Northern Germany, Gose is a slightly sour wheat beer known for hints of coriander and a unique saltiness. In our twist on the style, we add fresh grapefruit purée after fermentation. The result is a delightfully tart and bright beer designed to refresh and renew, just in time for Spring.
Review
Aroma – 8/12
A medium sourness hits first. A bright grapefruit character quickly blends into the sour aroma and dominates the remainder of the aroma, but at a moderate level. Low levels of lemon and a very slight doughiness.
Appearance – 2/3
The can originally pours a deep straw color, but becomes a deep peach in the second half of the can. A very small amount of ivory bubble lines the glass and quickly disappears with poor retention. I had just hand cleaned this glass and rinsed with RO water, so I don’t think that was a factor.
Flavor – 16/20
Moderate sour character mixed with grapefruit starts of the taste. This mixes with a moderate-low grain and dough malt note. Lemon and citrus come out in low levels towards the end of the taste with a very low sweetness. A moderate salinity also appears just before the finish. This is coupled with a very low bitterness to provide a dry yet soft finish. No noticeable hop presence. Grapefruit and salinity persist in the aftertaste for a few seconds.
Mouthfeel – 4/5
Medium bodied. The midtaste has a nice pillowy character to the mouthfeel. Towards the finish it is slightly watery with a low salty slickness present. Medium high carbonation. The finish has a nice softness with no alcohol warmth. There is a low puckering sensation on the finish reminiscent of grapefruit pith.
Overall Impression – 7/10
This is one of the better grapefruit beers I’ve had. While it showcases the fruit well, it does slightly overpower the Gose base beer. I’d like to see a bit more coriander and pilsner malt come up to balance the fruit character to bump this up into the excellent or outstanding range. This does a good job of minimizing the grapefruit bitterness, still letting the sour and salt characters through.
Rating – 37/50
Fruited Gose have been one of the more hyped fruit beer styles for a while now. While this does a great job of expressing grapefruit, I think I’d rather reach for the non fruited version as a summer thirst quencher. This might be my general distaste for grapefruit talking though. If you’re a fan of the fruit, chances are you’re going to love this beer.
