Guava Tangent
Rhinegeist Brewery

Getting a little tired of the "smoothie", "slushie" and "pastry" types of sour ale? The sweetness, heaviness and creaminess of these beers can leave a tremendous level of thirst remaining on the palate. But Rhinegeist thinks differently. Their barrel aged guava sour will erase any threat of thirst and leave your face sticking that way.

Guava Tangent pours with an cam hazy goldenrod and capping with a fluffy white sheet of foam. Piercing aromas of citrus, cider, wine and brine strike the nose with a strong souring force. But its gentle sweetness glosses over the tongue with sourdough, saltwater taffy and a hint of lemonade.

With that wheat malt being short and sweet on the palate, the middle shows a bold shift toward the bracing acidity. Leading with those juicy guava additions, the fruitiness extends also into lemon, crabapple, gooseberry, white grape, kiwi and lime; all with a twist of rice wine vinegar. Its salinity doesn't only provide roundness to the fruit but it also adds balance to the acidity while amplifying it as well. Low bitterness allows the sourness to shine while bringing out a scant earthiness of damp burlap and sea brine.

Light, crisp, clean and highly refreshing, the sour ale certainly takes on the taste, texture and soul of tropical cocktail extremely well. Being decidedly more sour than margarita, the sour ale seems much more like berlinerweiss because of its intense dryness and acidity. Its light, earthen and wheaten aftertaste is brisk and short while stripping the thirst with ease.