Grandma's Cherry Pie Parfait
Hi-Wire Brewing

 

Very clear, but red in color. Slight head was present. Nose is very sweet and can smell cherry, maybe graham cracker crust, but definitely sweet. Taste is as the nose sweet with slight tartness. Good for what it is.

Just like summer afternoons at grandma's house, Hi-Wire's house smells and tastes much the same because of their cherry pie pastry ale that's loosely modeled after parfait, pastry and tarts. Unlike grandma's house, you'll leave without lipstick, cheap perfume, costume jewelry and marlboros slathered to the side of your face.

Grandma's Cherry Pie Parfait kicks off with a ruby tinted, nearly bright appearance. Bubbly, frothy and a little spritzy, the ale leads with a cherry laden scent with hints of spice, graham cracker and light cream playing on the nose. Candied in its malty sweetness, the early flavors are taffy-like with hints of pie filling, glaze and soda.

And that flavor locks in and chases a taste throughout the middle palate, collecting nuances of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, vanilla and simple sugars, an an overall sense of cherry cola that lingers into a lightly tart and summery flavor, albeit lacking any sense of balance or reprieve.

Medium bodied, sparkling and torn between being a savory ale or a more refreshing one, the beer has promise but it needs to get off the fence. The palate wanted the session to steer either into a sweeter and more pastry direction, or a drier and more sour one. Bigger and more imperialized strength would give this ale exactly what it needed- an over-the-top amount of glee; just like grandma would have it.