Tangerine Beams
Rhinegeist Brewery

Strengthening their sour ale portfolio, Rhinegeist turn to the common fruit of tangerine and then the not so common soursop fruit for a citrus and tropical fruit combination that's sure to bounce off of any sour base beautifully.

Pale orange and cast in a matte finish, the beer would pour much like sherbet and smoothie if poured into a bowl. Its creamy, ivory froth draws in the eye just ahead of a sherbet filled perfume that comes with radiant orange and a bevy of tropical insinuations along with a succulent tang of white wine. Smooth and creamy on the early palate, the sweetness of wheat malt helps to shape a taste that's highly redolent of pushup ice cream treats.

As the fruit blossoms on the middle palate, a more tropical taste transpires with notions of pineapple, lime, red berry, peach and pawpaw. Even a hint of peach and mango make their way into the complex fruit flavor while the underlying ale provides a lime, lemon, white grape, gooseberry and passionfruit acidity. Playfully sour late on the palate, the fruit's own pectin helps to create a winey balance in a mild complement of herbal hops and their own green tea effects.

Medium bodied, creamy and drying, the unique beer keeps that sherbet tone even deep in a moderately bitter, moderately spiced, sour leading finish. A short aftertaste of tea and tropics are matched only by the peppery oak finish and a mild burlap afterglow.