Raspberry Berliner Weisse
Ribstone Creek Brewery

8oz glass at Beer Revolution YEG Oliver Square. I read recently (from a brewery rep) that this would only be available at the brewery taproom - I guess not so, and bully for me!

This beer appears a hazy, medium salmon amber colour, with a thin cap of wispy and faintly bubbly pale pink head, which leaves little in the way of lace anywhere near the glass as it quickly blows off.

It smells of raspberry puree, gritty and grainy cereal malt, a bit of old-school yeastiness, and ephemeral earthy, musty, and floral noble hop bitters. The taste is grainy and crackery pale malt, raspberry compote, sour milk, a hint of seawater, and some very understated leafy, herbal, and grassy green hoppiness.

The carbonation is fairly meek in its perfunctory frothiness, the body a so-so middleweight, and generally smooth, with only a touch of tart raspberry making a scene, if that sort of thing bothers you. It finishes trending dry, the frooty essences pretty much holding all of the lingering cards.

Overall - well, I'm glad that Ribstone didn't shit the bed like so many other Albertan breweries of late, and not follow through on their marketing promise. Lots of raspberry goodness in this offering, and not too sour either. Great stuff!