Green Tee Ale
Sherwood Brewing Company

 

This brew was served from the tap at Sherwood Brewing Company in Shelby Township, Michigan. It arrived in a generic pint glass, glowing a golden honey coloring. No real head was appreciated, but a tan colored film rested atop the liquid for most of the tasting. While this showed longevity, only minimal spots of lacing were left around the glass as the beer disappeared. A chill haze was noted, but no sediment was found. Carbonation appeared to be mild. The aroma was sweet, with pale malts, honey, lemon flesh, iced green tea, fresh squeezed lemonade sugars, white sugar, light wheatiness, and light vanilla oiliness. Our first impression was in surprise to the authenticity and refreshing nature of the green tea leaves and lemon flavoring. As we sipped, the taste opened with pale malts, light mustiness, citric hop bitters, almond and walnut creaminess, sweet lemon juice, and residual lime juice sugars. The middle came to a peak with toasted sesame seed, iron, white sugar wash, lemon seed and lemonade cloy, bittered grassiness, pale and wheaty malts, and the stark onset of leafy, tannic, and clean green tea leafs. The ending wash came simply, with green tea freshness, lemon juice, citric hops, wheat, pale, and cereal grain, moss, and toasted marshmallow sweetness. The aftertaste breathed of light almond toast, tea leafiness, sea saltiness, must, dust, baker’s yeast, milky creaminess, and fresh lemon juice. The body was light, and the carbonation was medium to high, with palpable prickle to the tongue. While each sip gave nice finishing pop and quick glug, slurp, smack, cream, and froth were comparatively lacking. The mouth was left fairly coated and refreshed, with no real final astringency to the beer other than the faintest chalky dryness at the soft palate. The abv was appropriate, and the beer drank easily.

Overall, the best thing about this beer was its flavoring. Here we were given a nice organic, leafy quality to it all, with the green tea flavoring showing authenticity, but also conjuring memories of the green tea Vitamin Water drink. This actually helped to keep it light in body, with easy enough sweetness to aid freshness and drinkability. While some breweries try and dump odd flavors or ingredients into their stock to create exciting novelty beers, we definitely avoid that here, as we find a natural, flowing beverage. This is an excellent hot weather beer, and could definitely keep you going all day long.