Tartini
Cascade Brewing / Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub

 

a few different versions of things called tartini have existed for cascade. this one is a foudre golden sour base, spiked with rad botanicals that make this truly one of a kind, cool its in a can, cool its being presented as so low key and low brown, its really elevated stuff, as good as just about anything from cascade, and a joy to drink. unlike a lot of theirs, its not too sour to do some work on, despite plenty of piquant tang, radiant golden color, sunny and shockingly shiny and clear for what it is, and it holds over an inch of airy white head, almost belgian looking in the glass, a stunner and a sparkler. this has juniper berry, orris root, angelica root, orange peel, coriander, and rose petal in it, sounds like too much but it isnt. yes its high tone and floral and medicinal even, but its also bitter, balanced, and pleasant, nothing really rising over anything else, and all this earthy root stuff makes it one of a kind. i think its cool the alcohol is as low as it is too. this is gin-like overall in aroma and flavor, but is also packed with nuance. hints of ginger, sunflower, and saffron in the aroma, lemony and acidic, white wine there too, and the juniper and coriander are also obvious. more from the roots and the rose in the flavor, white tea, blooming fruit trees in spring, bitter earthy character, soil, leather, even white paper reams, mild on the grain side to me, off dry, and with things like spearmint and verbena coming in as it warms, estery and woody, but staying light. its also not just pucker, there is some bretty funk to this as well, perhaps picked up during its time in wood, flattering and rustic. its cool how there are weird ingredients in this, things not often found in beer, but its cohesive and even approachable overall i reckon, perfect for this time of year, fully effervescent, and of elite overall quality. the cascade cans continue to be a muse for me, this is special! i love how the botanicals make it bitter, it feels almost healthy to drink. polished, mature, and distinctive to the max!