Queen of the Yellow Dolls
Strange Roots Experimental Ales

2022-02-24
375ml bottle served in a plastic hotel cup. If there's a date, I don't see it.

Pours murky yellow with a smallish head that collapses to nothing, a little bit of visible active carbonation. Smell is very tart, very apricot/peachy, something green and vegetal.

Taste is similar -- very tart and stonefruity, vegetation comes across pretty slow, like a vinous / grape must but earthier. Interesting.

Mouthfeel is thick, moving in the direction of pulpy but not there. Overall, this is very tasty, and very interesting.

a very very cool beer, glad to have some stuff from these guys popping up in idaho! this is done with yellow watermelons, a fruit i might have known existed but forgot about until i saw one sliced open in the grocery store recently. after talking about it to a few people, i was surprised that the universe put this on the shelf at my local shop the same week, had to buy it, it was meant to be. now i wish i got one of the actual melons too! this beer is pale yellow from the little bottle, it gives rise to some airy white head but it fades almost instantly back to flat, and there is more and more sediment as we pour out the bottle, looks bright chalky yellow but close to still in the glass. the aroma is bracingly acidic, citrusy, raw wheat maybe, super earthy, but also really fresh, and i can pretty quickly pick up the melon, distinct from regular watermelon even, and more rindy than fleshy, bitter and green and lush, mouthwatering! the flavor isnt quite as sour as the nose, and it has some more wild sort of funk to it as well, these guys always have interesting fermentation profiles, and thats the case here for sure, but it is very tart to say the least. the melon is natural and ripe, more in the finish than anywhere else, and i still get more of the bitter rind than the juicy sweet meat of the melon, but its very forward in here even though it sets in late, i taste it on my tongue well after the swallow, and more and more as it warms up too, astonishingly authentic, really good. the beer itself could be less acidic, more carbonated, and a little more delicate and refined, but the yellow watermelon part of this is downright impressive. some oak and white wine to this as well, a little thin in feel because of the sharpness, but its uniquely fresh and mature at the same time, and i think the coolest part of all is that its obviously not regular watermelon. some clementine and floral aspects as well, bitter, succulent, i was glad to be sharing the little bottle as its a lot on the guts, but its awesome stuff! definitely bringing the agricultural element strong in this one! 2018 vintage, i wonder if this was less acidic when it was fresh...

 

375 ml bottle

Pours hazy lemon golden, sugar white head dissipates to a lacing.

Smells of lemongrass, citrus, coriander, sourdough bread, wildflowers and watermelon.

Tastes of rosewater, citrus, zest, wildflower, coriander, cracker, and potpourri.

Light to medium body, stinging carbonation.

Bright, citrusy, floral, and surprisingly strongly stated. Goes down a bit slow and with a sting. A good light fall beer with some nice flavor and body. Would have this again in the season.

Cloudy yellow, approaching yellow-orange in appearance with a quickly fading head. No transparency. Funky barnyard aromas on the nose mingle with muted pineapple, wet hay, and melon. Strangely intriguing. The flavor is certainly unique--fruity and funky--as well as challenging with a hint of horse blanket, but adventurous palates will find the complexity of this farmhouse ale compelling. Melon rind, grain, and medicinal notes stand out against a soft mouthfeel before fading quickly into to the finish. A seasonal taste of place for sure, although not the sort of beer that is likely to have mass appeal.