Twisted Root
Santa Fe Brewing Company

RB transfer

 

Poured from a can into a pint glass. Nose is ginger, lemon, and wheat. Taste is ginger dominate with an undercurrent of citrus and it has an earthy finish. Medium body and medium carbonation.
I don't love ginger so it was too much for me to really enjoy, but if you like ginger, it was definitely front and center. The ginger addition didn't hurt a properly done feel.

 

Type: 12-oz. can
Glass: The Bruery 6-oz. taster
From: Trader Joe’s in ABQ Uptown (Albuquerque), N.M.
Price: $1.34
Purchased: May 4, 2018
Consumed: May 20, 2018
Reviewed as: American Blonde
Misc.: Best by June 28, 2018

Picked this up on a recent work trip to Albuquerque. Probably spent way too much money at a Trader Joe’s and at Jubilation Wine & Spirits. Surprisingly I had reviewed five Santa Fe Brewing beers before (now seven after 7K IPA and Lustgarten), ranging from a 3.29 (Happy Camper IPA) to a 4.27 (Chicken Killer Barley Wine) (#BiL). Description read, “We gotta admit, style-wise this one is kind of a head-scratcher. What we do know is that when the heat index hits 108, we love Reed’s Ginger Beer and spicy, ginger-based drinks like Dark and Stormy’s, Moscow Mules and Ginger Sours. So we took those flavors, threw them into a shaker full of beer and concocted a bro tank for your tongue that’s a refreshing, spicy, crushable blonde ale with ginger and lemongrass. It’s got medium-body, bready malt and a little spicy hop flavor with the aroma and zingy taste of fresh ginger.”

Poured a clear straw color with two fingers of white frothy head. Lots of fast-moving bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass. Very good spotty lacing. Good retention. (Sight - 3.75)

Smelled ginger, herbal, grass, lemon zest, corn, honey, buttered white bread and grain. Could definitely get the blonde elements, but also reminded me of an American Adjunct Lager or even a light American Malt Liquor. Wasn’t really working with the ginger/lemongrass combo. More ginger and grass from the can. (Smell - 3.00)

Taste was certainly better than the smell. Ginger led the way, followed by lemon zest, herbal, grass, corn, honey and unknown spice (pepper?). More balanced than the nose. (Taste - 3.50)

Medium body. Thin-to-oily texture. Lively carbonation. Long, slightly spicy finish. (Feel - 4.00)

I like the creativity of this beer, but the mix of ginger and lemongrass just didn’t quite work for me. (Overall - 3.50)

3.45 | 79 | B-

Look: Semi-clear golden body under a quickly dissipated white head that leaves only a thin collar.

Aroma: Ginger, lemongrass, chicken curry.

Taste: Almost sour lemongrass, dried lemon peel, spicy ginger.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, dry.

Overall: Very gingery, subtly spicy, good lemon citrus. Interesting.

 

12oz can. Poured a clear, golden color with a small, fizzy, white head of foam. It smelled of ginger, lemon and toasted caramel. Sweet caramel flavor with a strong ginger presence and low bitterness.

 

I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m not always a fan of ginger included in beers, but this one is an example of how it can be done. The appearance is clear and golden. The head is white and of medium height....nice effervescence. The aroma is light with ginger, along with a sweet and herbal scent (the lemongrass?), backed by a pale malt smell. Wonderfully balanced flavor...sweet up front, with a lot of malt, followed by a lightly spicy ginger flavor, then a drying finish. It comes together very well. Excellent.

a light and drinkable blonde ale jazzed up with ginger and lemongrass. its flavorful and crushable summer beer for sure, feels almost healthy with these additives. the ginger is way out in front of the lemongrass in both aroma and flavor, and its zesty and spicy and fresh coming through the clear golden liquid, natural as can be, not overdone but pretty robust, unmistakeable. the lemongrass is also really natural and adds a cool botanical component to this which enhances the refreshment factor and gives it kind of a thai vibe with the ginger, makes me want a bowl of green curry with it or something, and in fact im confident this beer has a number of cool culinary applications, grilled seafood and spicy wings also come to mind. super light body, nice carbonation from the can, and a drying element at the end from the ginger offsetting a little honey note in the malt. this is great on a hot day when its ice cold, less impressive when it warms up, and one of the more interesting beers i have had from these guys in awhile. i hope to put plenty of these down this summer...

Got to admit, shocked I liked this. Ginger and Lemongrass Blonde Ale in the midst of winter? Seemed like a terrible idea. Paired with the fact that I have disliked every single other ginger infused beer I have tried, I questioned myself when I decided to give this one a try while at their ABQ taproom. Glad I gave it a shot though, I actually really enjoyed it. Not a beer I could drink a ton of, but nice in set doses. Poured a clear golden with a white head. Aroma was spicey, a touch creamy, and a little bready. Flavor was sharp but well balanced, following the aroma. A creamy, crisp, active mouthfeel. Overall, surprising enjoyabled and I think I actually enjoyed it more in the midst of winter than I would have in the heat of the summer.