Goldfish Tears
Black Raven Brewing Co.

collaboration with fort george, an excellent beer, i think underrated here on BA, and maybe one of the better black raven brews ive come across. cool to find this on tap, a cold ipa, done with some flaked rice and a great mix of hops, belma, comet, and motueka, i love everything about this beer on paper, and it all comes through in the glass. very blonde in the glass but surprisingly hazy, usually the cold ipa types are nice and clear, not this one, but it still looks delicate because of how light the color is, above average white head on top, tight and puffy and lasting. fun nose here, the fruity southern hemisphere kiwi and green grape notes from the motueka, some spice and orange from the comet, and a yellow floral thing and maybe faint berry from the belma, lemongrass perhaps, really pretty distinctive and dynamic, the ferment smells clean and the grain is very minimal in the nose. the flavor is great too, the hops are juicy and bold and forward, shockingly clean for how bold they are, and with only middle of the road finishing bitterness to my palate. love what the rice does in here, i can taste and feel its contribution for sure, light in flavor but not irrelevant, and adding a smooth crispness overall, a cool addition to the recipe that makes this quite summery and sessionable. the mix of hops absolutely rules, and the freshness is on point. all the intangibles are here too, and i found this thirst quenching, great with pickled and salty foods, and something i plan to drink a good amount more or while it around. really nice modern ipa here without being a hazy mess. more like this please!

 

16oz can at Hops & Bottles. Hazy golden pour, white foamy head. Light citrusy aroma, grassy. Taste doesn't deviate, simple hoppy, fruity, citrusy. Light on the palate.

Poured from 16oz can into a dimpled mug. Canned 5/9/23. This beer is a collaboration with Fort George in Astoria.

Appearance: medium yellow hue with a moderate haze and a thick head of frothy eggshell foam that leaves a chunky lace on the glass as it dissipates. Pretty!

Smell: nice springtime hop aroma of light tropical fruits and a little bit of green grassiness. I like it.

Taste: moderately sweet malt flavor, with more of those vernal, grassy hop flavors atop. This is made with flaked rice, so that might explain the neutrality of the malt flavor. It's quite refreshing.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a good carbonation and a good creaminess despite the lightish body.

Overall: a totally crushable beer for a 6% IPA. It's not quite a cold IPA or a brut IPA, but the cold fermentation and incorporation of rice into the mash definitely make for a thirst-quenching beer.