Golden State Of Mind
Ale Industries

16oz conical pint at Raleigh's, Berkeley, CA.

Hazy pale straw, light lacing and crown, no lingering head.

Smell has a light tea/tannin note, strong citrus, and bready malt.

Mouthfeel is a bit disappointing; very light, dissipates quickly, leaving only a touch of citrus astringency.

Taste is not very complex; bready malt throughout, a strong orange flavor that rises to a sour peak and then dissipates, leaving a bitter pithy finish, tea notes throughout but most noticeable in the aftertaste. Minimal carbonation apparent initially, but it picks up in the aftertaste.

There's a regrettable resemblance to orange sparkling water, to be quite honest - take 3/4 of that and 1/4 sweet tea and that might be close. It also reminds me of cheap kvass - less pungency and sweetness but similar.

Overall, refreshing and drinkable but nothing special.

 

My first "Tea" beer. Kind of like a mix of ice tea and wheat beer. I quite enjoyed it. Has all the thickness and foaminess of a wheat beer, but with some extra added flavor and complexity from the quote unquote tea aspects. Very lightly hoppy and fragrant. Modest citrus notes to me.

 

 

 

Poured from a bomber bottle into a brandy snifter.

L - Had a slow-moving geyser of foam overflow the bottle as soon as I uncapped it. No smell or obvious infection, so perhaps it was overcarbonated from long aging with bottle-conditioning yeast? Light orange color (very dark for a witbier) and hazy. Head is huge, fluffy, and white. It lasted as a thick layer throughout the session.

S - Strong citrus aromas over wheat and bread from the grains. Light spice or herb note, but i can't identify the spice. Neither yeast nor alcohol contribute to the aromas.

T - Sharp orange flavor dominates with strong spice following. Low wheat in the background. Finish is fairly dry with a grainy aftertaste that may be from Pilsner malt.

F - Medium body. Fizzy but not overly strong carbonation (surprising after the geyser). Moderate hops bitterness. No alcohol presence.

O - I find the sharp orange citrus and spices to be more assertive than a traditional wit, but it may have been the brewer's intention to show off the California ingredients, as the label states. Regardless, it is enjoyable.

 

 

Tasted on tap at The Pig & The Pickle in Concord, CA.

A tea beer that pours a light/medium orange with a fast fading white head. The nose is lemon, oranges and light varnish (but a nice light varnish). The real problem here is that it is extremely light bodied - almost feels and tastes watered down. The flavor profile is pleasant oranges and light tea but the lack of body, texture and character just hurt this one a lot.

Nice look & smell pretty good taste fresh feeling

 

 

Pretty standard witbier, which I happen to love, but this one has chamomile in it. This addition was a huge negative for me and ruined the experience. Among all these usual layers of flavor that are associated with a witbier, this sole flavor did not work for me and had quite a negative impact on the overall flavor, which was very good if this one point was taken away.

Would Drink Again: No
Would Purchase Again: No

Dreadful taste. Can't even describe it... Laquer or turpentine maybe. Not funny. Not funny at all.

Looks good and the mouthfeel is right but this sucker is my first drain pour ever.