Stay Rad
Nickel Brook Brewing Co. - Burlington

 

473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Apr 12 2022 and served slightly chilled.

Pours a cloudy pale straw yellow colour, briefly topped with an inch of soapy, foamy white head that recedes at a brisk pace. Within a couple of minutes, it has been reduced to a generous collar and filmy cap, with a respectable swath of lace left clinging to the glass. Looks like a lemon radler, and sure smells like one too - both sour lemon juice and sweetened lemonade come through, as does a note of limeade. Maybe a hint of pine sap, with some grainy, wheaty undertones.

Tart and acidic, kind of like a sour key candy - lemon and lime juice dominate at first, with sweeter notes of lemonade & limeade following closely in tow. There are hints of wheaty malts too, but the lemon remains quite strong through the finish and into a slightly sour, slightly sugary aftertaste that lingers for a moment. Light in body, with mildly prickly carbonation that brushes gently against the palate, resulting in a slightly crisp, smooth mouthfeel. Very drinkable, and highly refreshing - I think I could drink a couple in a row before the tartness becomes tiresome.

Final Grade: 3.90, a B+. Stay Rad is one of the better radlers I've tried in recent memory, and certainly one of the most tart that I can recall. Then again, sour keys have been my favourite candy since I was a kid, and this is really giving me a lot of the same flavours and vibes - not to mention my general fondness for both lime and lemon in particular. A solid summer pick from Nickel Brook - definitely worth a try, and I'm sure I'll be picking up more before too long.

This lemon/lime radler pours a hazy light gold colour with a small head that disappears quickly. The smell is of lemon juice and lime juice. The taste is tart, like lemon and lime juices have been added to the beer, not artificial like Sprite. Refreshing crispy. I just may have to stock up on these for the summer coming
March 15 2022