Under The Rose
Hourglass Brewing

 

Reviewed from (long-standing) notes. Poured from a 16 oz. can into an El Catador Barrel-Aged glass.

A: Quite hazy medium gold, with good visible carbonation. Forms a thin white head that disappears quickly.

S: Juicy orange, pineapple, passionfruit and mango-like tropical fruits. Mildly gristy wheat cracker malts. A mild but definite floral from the rose petals, without coming perfumey. Not a huge aroma, but plenty here to whet my interest.

T: Juicy tangerines and tropical fruits. Sweet ruby red grapefruit with just a bit of rind bitterness. A cracker malt body that feels hefty for style without being obnoxious. Mild husk in the malts but less than the nose suggested. There’s a flowery vegetal flavor that I’m assuming is the rose hips, but it’s not even as flowery as the nose either - it’s there but not overbearing like so many other beers I’ve had that try to use ingredients like rose hips. The tropical juicy fruit sweetness continues in the hang with just a little of the citrus rind bitterness from the hops.

M: Medium body, and almost no alcohol presence (though this has a a pretty tame ABV). An average carbonation sensation, but one that's almost creamy.

O: I’m not sure what this is supposed to be. It’s described as a “Pale Ale”, rather than an APA. It drinks more like a New England IPA style, but with minimal hop bitterness even for that. Hourglass is trying some interesting things over there. So far I’ve had more misses than hits, but I’d put this in the latter category – albeit maybe not a personal favorite. But it's interesting at any rate.

Subrosa bmx collab. Commercial description: "This collaboration with Subrosa Brand is a New England Style pale ale brewed with Wakatu, El Dorado, and Hallertau Blanc hops and a generous addition of rose hips. This cloudy pale ale is brewed to be light and refreshing."

Pours a clouded but not opaque amber with insta-fade white head, tiny dots of lace stick to the glass. Smell: floral and perfumed, cracker, heavy coriander, more citric notes. Taste: lemony, floral as in petals in salad, grassy, dried mango note. Finishes in a growing grassy bitterness.

Rose as an adjunct can easily dominate, and it (barely) does so here. The "NE style" claim is silly. But it's overall decent and refreshing as intended.