Watermelon Wheat
Moccasin Bend Brewing Co.

I would love to be very positive about this beer since it's among the first retail-market beers brewed by an upcoming craft brewer in my home city of Chattanooga. Sadly, this canned version is not Moccasin Bend's best brew, and probably was chosen for the retail-bound production line because of its uniqueness. As the name implies, it does indeed taste like watermelon, but of course watermelon, like this beer, is rather watery. This cloudy unfiltered ale is attractive in its slightly yellowish amber color, but it has virtually no head. The nose is a pronounced watermelon, perhaps smelling more like the source fruit than is optimal for any brew. The taste is slightly sweet, and like the aroma is a bit too watermelony for my taste, with not enough emphasis on the wheat, and with virtually no hop, finishing with a slight tartness. It is very nicely carbonated and refreshing, with a nice smooth and semi-thick mouthfeel. I'll continue to support this brewery's products, because they have some truly nice beers that I've enjoyed on tap locally and at beer festivals. But I hope they'll go to some more traditional beer styles, which they do quite well, for their retail expansion in the future.

A: Hazy straw, white head, no retention, slight lace.

S: Watermelon bubblegum and cooked vegetables.

T: Cooked vegetables (seriously), spice, grass, tropical fruit, watermelon.

M: Light to moderate body, moderate carbonation.

D: Definitely not impressed.

A yeasty, even funky yeasty wheat beer. We notice the inclusion, the infusion of white yeast there. On a light yellow body. A medium mouthfeel with this mellon-gourd flavouring. So-so, to drink but once. Not overcarbonated, a tad astringent. Not very drinkable but not a complete waste.