Our Sour #2: Everyone's Cheatin'
Barrier Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

During a recent Beer & Beverage Shoppe run, I was elated to find this Barrier CAN for The CANQuest (tm). You may recall that, in the early days (mid-March) of the COVID-19 lockdown, I CANDUcted an extensive brewery horizontal of their beers. I exhausted my backlog, but as such, I am now on the CANstant lookout for ones from them that I have not drank, reviewed & rated. This is one such beer!

From the CAN: "Our Sour #2: Everyone's Cheatin' [-] Passionfruit, Vanilla & Lactose"; "Illustrated by Daniel F. Birch".

I Crack!ed open the vent & despite its inCANsion of Lactose, I decided to go with an initial slow, gentle C-Line Glug just to see if clarity was even possible. It foamed mightily, forming two fingers of rolling, roiling, soapy, bone-white head with modest retention, quickly falling away to wisps. Color was a gorgeous Yellow-Gold (SRM = 4 - 5) with NE-quality clarity, prompting an impromptu visit from The Gelt Gang of Croesus, Mammon & Midas, all anxious for a taste. Nose was definitely of Passionfruit, but it was tart, not sour, and there is a difference. Mouthfeel was thin-to-medium, about on par for the style. The taste was definitely tart passionfruit, only lightly softened by the inCANsion of vanilla and lactose. I have said before that tarts & sours are not really my bag, but I have come to have a greater appreciation of them. This was only lightly tart, making it my speed, for sure. I liked the interplay of the vanilla with the passionfruit, as though it was playing peek-a-boo throughout, ocCANsionally asserting itself & then disappearing again. Finish was dry & very satiating.

Now, for a swirl of the remainder & a hard, aggro Glug just to see what remained after my initial Glug. It became deeply-hazy/lightly-cloudy for starters. Nose took on a greater funk. Mouthfeel remained CANstant. The tartness was more pronounced, as were the aforementioned flavors. Finish remained dry. I am not sure that my initial Glug was what the brewery intended, but it did illustrate the potential for two different exbeeriences from the same CAN. YMMV.