orange – Let's Learn Beer!

mysterious

by Ceit
December 22, 2022December 22, 2022

Alright then, let’s have another pale ale, or more precisely, RIPA. I guess that isn’t a real repeat for this calendar. The label looks so familiar, I have the sensation that I have done Jack the RIPA before, but it doesn’t come up. Maybe I only thought about it in the store and then grabbed a stout instead. Anyway, it is Guineu, so trustworthy brewers, and it’s a dark idea even if the beer is on the lighter side. I could have chosen it for a Hallowe’en special.

It’s darker orange than plenty of normal IPAs, a little more along the lines of an imperial. There’s a very bouncy citrus aroma from this one. As for taste, it’s extra bitter rather than extra orangey, but it’s that pleasant IPA style. It’s a deep, rounded bottom kind of flavor, making me think of grapefruit without the actual taste of it. After it settles down a little there is more citrus on the tongue, but the overall effect is still very bitter-hoppy.

with interest

by Ceit
December 8, 2022December 8, 2022

I eagerly await more dark beers as the month goes on, but something shiny is by no means unwelcome. I pulled out a sunny little can of imperial sour, another Guineu, this time with Màger. Fested Mind has some extra special ingredients – orange and white chocolate – which you might link to the season. I don’t mind a little orange with my beer, but orange and chocolate leaves me somewhat cold. Maybe that goes with the season too.

There’s that gassy smell that many sours seem to have, but with the essence of grape and a little plum mixed in. The color is juicy, the beer isn’t especially clear, and the head fizzles away in seconds. The flavor has a lot of sour candy in it, alternating between Jolly Rancher and mild lemon candy. It feels a little thicker than a lot of sours, leaving a little stickiness in its wake. Interestingly, I don’t really identify orange or chocolate in the flavors, although if I make an effort I can just pick out a touch of citrus. It’s bright and perky, so not quite what I naturally turn to at this time of year (who am I kidding, any time of year), but it’s like a dessert or special treat to add some light to the dark days of the season.