Sunbeam - Orange Creamsicle
Sockeye Grill & Brewery

do not overlook the cask program here, they always have one or two clever one offs on, this time a special version of their sunbeam done up like an orange creamsicle, they have used this one a lot as a base for these, and it tends to work pretty well. the texture of this is even better than the flavor, like the cask conditioning is so on point. i wish it was quite a bit less sweet, but this is creamy and velvet textured, so soft and flowy, amazing. the warmer temperature flatters this too, makes the citrus part pop, and somehow the hop bitterness never really comes on too much. the base beer lends itself well to this format, the alcohol is there in nose and taste but may serve to keep this fresher during conditioning than something milder would. the orange is there, the vanilla is strong too, natural enough, but maybe some lactose in here too, and if that is the case, it creams the feel up well but lingers too long as residual sweetness, like this straight up hurts my teeth after half a glass, if it were drier, the mouthfeel score would be near perfect here. heaps of vanilla and honey character and malt sweetness on the finish, it stays too long, but its great tasting, and the hops are real compatible with the creamsicle vibes. a bit desserty, but the quality is sensational. sockeye is super underrated here, they do more than they get credit for, and this is yet another example of that. how many people talk down on these guys that have never tried their cask beers...