Watermelon Warhead
Feral Brewing Co.

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From:
Feral Brewing Co.
 
Australia
Style:
Fruited Kettle Sour
ABV:
2.9%
Score:
93
Avg:
4.27 | pDev: 16.39%
Reviews:
13
Ratings:
27
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 16, 2015
Added:
May 26, 2012
Wants:
  41
Gots:
  0
A light sour German wheat beer infused with half a tonne of local swan valley watermelons, added to the end of primary fermentation leaving a fresh, spritzy and refreshing beer.

8 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by foles:
Photo of foles
Reviewed by foles from Australia

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
In addition to the awesome name, there is a hell of a lot to like about this beer. How a beer can be 2.9% abv and have so much to offer is amazing. The watermelon character is so well suited to a sour beer. Tart, refreshing, clean and very drinkable. I hope this is still around in the summer.
Aug 12, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.25 by joecast from Australia

Sep 16, 2015
 
Rated: 4.41 by NorCalAussie from California

May 01, 2015
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Reviewed by doktorhops from Australia

3.93/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
This is one brew I’ve been looking out for as it was (for a while) the highest rated Aussie beer on BeerAdvocate, and a Berliner Weissbier - a style I had yet to try. Let’s talk about Berliner Weissbier: They are quite an oddity in the beer world as they’re top fermented (i.e. Ales) that have that cold refreshing sensibility of a Lager, with a mouth puckering tart/sour slant (like a Gueuze which is a Lambic beer), and around 3% ABV (that’s mid-strength territory there). Another thing to note is that they’re traditionally served with a syrup to cut through the sourness: “Himbeere” (or raspberry) and “Waldmeister” (or woodruff).

Poured from tap into a Schooner (425ml glass).

A: Cloudy pale straw, almost white body, with a thin white lace on top. Bang on for the style. 8/10.

S: The nose is interesting with what I perceived to be white pepper with notes of Watermelon and sour acidic candy. I say “perceived” as none of the other reviews I’ve read on this picked up on the white pepper, maybe my nose is off? 7/10.

T: Remarkable mix of sour candy acidity (which is quite tart but not overbearing like the Lindemans Kriek Cuvée René), white pepper, and a hint of Watermelon at the back. Finish is a touch spicy and reasonably sour. There is a vinous white wine note in there as well. I’m not blown away with watermelon, it hints but it never really gets to be more of a hint, oh well. 8/10.

M: Mid to light bodied with a medium carbonation. A lot more body than I was expecting given the ABV, top marks to Feral. 9/10.

D: Both oddly refreshing and not at the same time. I'm not however sold on how high it is rated on BeerAdvocate though. Hop Hog definitely still the best offering from Feral, this is just a nice eccentric Ale, like a gentleman wearing golf trousers at a yachting luncheon. If Feral did decide to make this beer readily available I would definitely recommend it for a typical hot Australian summer day (35 Celsius aka 95 Fahrenheit). 8/10.

Food match: Seafood or pasta with creamy sauces would make an intriguing pairing with this brew, the sour and vinous notes will cut through almost any cuisine on offer though.
Oct 18, 2014
 
Rated: 1 by Prep8611 from New Jersey

Aug 22, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Kroehny_Loves_Hops from Australia

May 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by jpd7374 from Pennsylvania

Apr 26, 2014
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Reviewed by spicelab from Australia

4.57/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Hadn't had this for a while so was interested to see if it was as good as I remember. It was better.

Heavily turbid pale pear with a modest white head that falls promptly to a surprisingly resilient collar.

Bright and crisply defined aromas of lemon, pineapple, watermelon, dried grass, subtle woody barrel notes and clean grainy wheat.

Taste follows the nose pretty much spot on. Such lightness while at the same time a hard imprinting of the flavour profile.

Mouthfeel is possibly the best aspect to this beer. Driven by an amazing lively acidity which sparkles on the palate. Subtle influence from the barrel-ageing helps to rein in any potential harsh, sharp edges which you'd expect with such a high tartness.

Fucking nailed. Struggle to think how Feral could extract more out of a 2.9% beer. Both the Watermelon and the Chardonnay barrel integrate perfectly. Simultaneously subtle and completely assured.
Mar 27, 2014
Photo of ADZA
Reviewed by ADZA from Australia

4.07/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the brewery and pours a hazed yellow straw with a wispy two finger head and not much lacing looks alright,the smell is tart,funky,sour with aromas of watermelon and Chardonnay breaking through very inviting,mouthfeel is light bodied with moderate carbonation which suits nicely and the taste is something else it really is tasty as all hell it's big hints of sour grapes and funky watermelon and finished sour funky and overall yeah it's a tasty drop that needs to be more easily accessible for us beer freaks but it's still no Russian River and yeah I'll buy it when bottled.
Mar 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by francisweizen from Washington

Oct 01, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by Braunase from Australia

Feb 15, 2013
 
Rated: 4.75 by sirob from Australia

Feb 07, 2013
 
Rated: 5 by gulden from Australia

Jan 26, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by mungus from Australia

Jan 23, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by bylerteck from Canada (ON)

Jan 19, 2013
Photo of Furtanken
Reviewed by Furtanken from Australia

4.79/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
I looked forward to putting this beer in my face for a long long time, and I wasn't disappointed.
It's sour and delightful, zingy, tart and really doesn't care what you think about the public's obsession with the royal family. I'm not the biggest fan of fresh oysters, but a friend suggested we grab some to go along with this beer. It seemed like a great idea, I could imagine that the salty/mineral characteristics of the oyster would go well with the refreshing citrus spinning backfist that this beer delivers. We were right, what a pairing.
Two point-something percent is great when it's thirty-something outside in Brisbane, and you want to drink eleventy-something refreshing beers. This beer should be on tap everywhere when the temperature is above thirty. I want to marry it. Right in the pants.
Jan 15, 2013
Photo of laituegonflable
Reviewed by laituegonflable from Australia

4.67/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Had on tap at the GABS festival in Melbourne; writing this review from notes but suffice to say this was the beer of the festival for me.

Pours a very, very, very pale straw colour. Huge sedimenty cloud throughout, would be opaque but there's not enough colour so the light shows through easily. Head is white, foamy and retains OK. Very interesting-looking beer.

Sour, tart nose giving the impression of puckering already. Very funky but with wow, yeah that classic Watermelon Warhead aroma. Melony and fruity with a dangerous acidic note to it. Intense and magnificent.

Fruity and more puckeringly sour on the palate. Dry but with a huge watermelon fruit note, loads of funk and acid throughout but with the fruit notes just adding a bit of a sweeter character giving it a real sour candy edge. Champagney at times as well. Just bloody love this beer. Funky, wild, sour, untamed but still able to do tricks and entertain. Just wonderful.

Feels like I have popping candy in my mouth. Very dry and puckering at the back. Amazing.

Unique and wonderful drop. Fascinating, enjoyable; maybe a little too puckering but it's so tasty I couldn't care less. At 2.9% they should be serving this gem at every sporting venue. What a treat.
Dec 22, 2012
Photo of CrazyDavros
Reviewed by CrazyDavros from Australia

3.9/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Pours pale straw with a quickly fading head.
Sweet watermelon evident in the aroma, kinda like watermelon lollies. Some wheat and a tart character follows. The watermelon note is pretty tempting!
More watermelon as a flavour along with the promised tartness. Remains very approachable, nowhere near mouth-puckering.
Could use more carbonation.
Very refreshing stuff.
Dec 03, 2012
Photo of Parrotshake
Reviewed by Parrotshake from Australia

4.44/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Draft at Tippler's Tap. Thank God for WA Beer Week. I've tried 7 Feral beers this week that I've not had before and they have all been very nice, but this one has somewhat outshined the others. I've come back to it a dozen times or so and gladly would any time.

Pours a light slightly cloudy yellow with a finger or so of quickly dissipating head. Looks
inviting enough but anyone else might be forgiven for thinking you bought
something boring. Sucks to be them.

Sourish smell, from both lactic fermentation and wheat. Fresh cut watermelon tantalises and disappears, only to appear again. Yeasty twang.

Unfolds delightfully in the mouth. First sip is crisp, tart and refreshing, then the watermelon makes it's first appearance as an almost vegetal note. A bit like ... cucumber? Hey, they are closely related. As you keep sipping it the true watermelon flavor shines though, lending the beer an elusive note of sweetness. Definitievely refreshing.

Endlessly drinkable. This 2.9% beer has as much body as a lot of beers of 5% or more - carbonation level on this was nailed, subtle. Sitting at Tippler's on a breezy warm day sucking down fresh oysters and drinking a few of these is an experience that will be hard to top this Summer.
Nov 27, 2012
Photo of heygeebee
Reviewed by heygeebee from Australia

4.07/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
From iPad notes. On tap at the Pumphouse Feral tap Takeover.

Pours completely cloudy straw. One finger head fades fast.

Aromas of funk, yeast, and sour.

Taste in same vein, quite complex, quite sour. Not too sure where the watermelon is but it is in the back there somewhere.

Mouthfeel zesty light and easy to drink. Crisp and refreshing.

Ok the clincher - this is a less than 3 percent beer and sensational for that. If if were a 5%-plus beer, it would in all honesty be somewhat more ordinary.
Nov 19, 2012
Watermelon Warhead from Feral Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 27 ratings