Bubbly
Rhinegeist Brewery

Kicking off the new year with a zesty, spicy drink in hand, Bubbly gives Rhinegeist fans the opportunity for which they yearn to turn down the champagne and go for a new bubbly pale ale.

Bubbly floats a creamy, cottony swath of sea foam that sits above a golden copper body that settles beneath. Floral to the nose, its vibrant hop perfume springs to life with citrus and honeysuckle with an herbal, botanical grassy nod. Its taste is firm with caramel and the light toastiness of bread crust and pean.

The middle palate strikes an even-keel balance that trends dry and bitter but retains a stern malt backbone in bready sweetness and caramel. What's exciting is what the single-source Ella hop variety from down under turns from floral aromas and layers on the tropical flavors of pineapple and mango shortly after its taste of red grapefruit, lemon and grapefruit lays down the ground work. Its late palate is one of a spicy bitterness with a grassy bite, seeming fennel and lageresque in its hop profile.

Medium-boded yet drying on the palate, the beer shows mild hop favoritism late with the taste of herbal grasses and their spicy bitterness that overshadow the fleeting malts ever so slightly. Crisp and clean on the tongue, the beer is highly qualified as a stand-alone taste or with the versatility of pairing with an array of classic American cuisine.