Berry Old Wheat
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

Massively murky sun tea brown. Despite the fact that this ale is 'a strawberry infused amber wheat', there was no trace of pink that I could detect. The smallish bone white head lasted several minutes and left quite a bit of lace on the glass. A solid circumferential sheet became tattered sheets connecting tattered rings as the beer fell with drinking.

If the aroma had been stronger, the higher score would have easily been within its grasp. There wasn't much present except fresh strawberries, but then given the pale wheat base and what is undoubtedly a neutral yeast strain, what else should there have been?

This may be the first beer that I've ever had that was better when it was no longer in contact with the taste buds than when it was. And I don't mean what is commonly thought of as the finish either. I mean drink... swallow... wait for it... wait for it... good beer! It was amazing and it kept happening in an unvarying fashion all the way through the pint.

There must have been a considerable amount of barley malt present since the beer didn't taste very wheaty. The strawberry flavor was minimal at the start and then increased in intensity (though never actually becoming intense) throughout the mouthful. Even with the more pronounced berry flavor following the finish, it was less noticeable than in many fruit beers. As a result, calling BOW an APWA would have been reasonable as well.

As noted in the nose, more strawberry flavor would have made the beer more enjoyable. Although none of the flavor sensations was prominent, sweet and tart were present in roughly equal proportions, with very little bitterness in play at all. Noticeable hops don't belong in this style anyway.

The mouthfeel favored medium over light and possessed a slightly viscous, sticky finish (a house trademark) befitting a larger-bodied ale. There was plenty of wheaty softness as well. A finely fizzy carbonation didn't cross the line, although with a few more bubbles it might have.

I'm not sure why Berry Old Wheat contains the word 'Old' since it isn't aged and is as far from a barley wine as it's possible to be. It is, however, a tasty, drinkable 'fruit wheat' that would benefit from just a bit more fruit. Those berries would most likely vanish if the beer was consumed with any sort of food, so I'd suggest drinking this one solo.