Elderberry Wheat
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

Dusky grape topped by one finger of creamyfirm, pinkish lavender foam. I had two thoughts when Elderberry Wheat was placed in front of me. First, that it was nice to see a fruit beer the color of the fruit in question. Second, that a few tons of elderberries must have been used to produce that color. Fuzzy rings of lace marched down the glass with drinking, keeping things looking good as the beer disappeared.

Fruit was appreciated in the nose; something that is never guaranteed in a fruit ale. I've never had elderberries before, so my impressions should be taken with a grain of salt. I thought the beer smelled like grapes with a little blueberry for good measure. The aroma was too tame, though, to match the rest of the beer's quality.

Given the rich color and the impressive turbidity, I wasn't a bit surprised to taste abundant elderberry. Again, it was much more of a grape flavor than what I would consider a berry. Not vinous, like wine, but juicy, like fresh grape juice. The flavor was soft and mellow and blurred at the edges... just right for an easy drinking summer seasonal.

I liked the finish better than the beginning and the middle of each mouthful. It was there that the flavor reached its peak and the sweet-tart-bitter balance reached perfection. I drank the first half of the pint prior to my food and second half with it. Despite my fears that the flavor would disappear in the presence of a relatively spicy dish, it flourished.

The mouthfeel, like the flavor profile, could be described as soft yet substantial. There's no reason that wheat-based summer beers have to be light and airy in the mouth. None at all. The carbonation was cask-like soft, but still had an invigorating, tap-like quality. The best of both worlds.

Elderberry Wheat is a successful beer because it uses generous amount of ingredients (especially elderberries) and is exquisitely balanced. I liked the last ounce more than the first and should have stuck around for another pint. Berry good beer.