Brighter Days: Apricot
Transient Artisan Ales

 

 

 

Pours from a can with an extremely agitated fizz. A real gusher. I had to pour it into two glasses to prevent overflow. Very light in color. Smell is a great base Berliner with hints of zesty apricot. Taste is lightly grainy with a tart apricot bite. Over all a great refreshing brew. Wishing I had a case of these for the summer.

I've been paying attention to the craft beer scene for about 15 years, and I don't recall a style's status rising and falling quite as quickly as that of the Berliner Weisse. 6 years ago, people were giving it bad scores because they were shocked that it was sour. Then everyone loved it. And now it's considered quaint, not nearly aggressive enough to be considered a True Sour. And since it's really hard to brew there are plenty of legitimately bad examples of the style, and little incentive for brewers to make one.

Anyhow, this pours well for the style: pale, cloudy yellow with a minimal head.

Aroma is great: tart yeast, dry and peppery wheatmalt, and then some juicy apricots lending wonderful balance and complication to the mix.

Tastes very good: tart yeast up front that avoids become too intense because it gives way to what is essentially a fruited wheat beer the rest of the sip. Light nodes of white pepper lifted and balanced by semi-sweet apricots and then a wonderfully dry and sour melange on the finish.

Very well made.

 

 

16 ounce can into tulip glass; no can dating, but is a recent release. Pours moderately hazy/cloudy pale golden yellow color with a 1-2 finger foamy and fluffy white head with poor retention, that reduces to a minimal spotty lace cap pretty quickly. Minimal spotty lacing on the glass, some clinging bubbles and streaming carbonation. Good appearance. Aromas of big juicy/tart/tangy apricots, fruit skin/fuzz/pits, peach, pear, lemon, lime, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread, light peppercorn/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of apricots, fruity/acidic yeast, and light-moderate pale/wheat malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big juicy/tart/tangy apricots, fruit skin/fuzz/pits, peach, pear, lemon, lime, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread, light peppercorn/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tartness, fruit tang, and light spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/tangy apricots, fruit skin/fuzz/pits, peach, pear, lemon, lime, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread, peppercorn, lacto funk, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of apricots, fruity/acidic yeast, and light-moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; with a great malt/tartness and tangy fruit balance; with no puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Moderately crisp/clean finishing. Moderate increasing dryness from lingering tartness, tangy fruit, and carbonation. High carbonation and light body; with a very smooth and fairly grainy/acidic/tangy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 4%. Overall this is a great fruited Berliner weisse. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of apricots, fruity/acidic yeast, and light-moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink with the modestely acidic/tangy/carbonated/drying finish, not overly lactic. Flavorful and not too watery for the ABV. Very straightforward Berliner, not as complex on the Lacto as some others. Great balance of juicy apricots and Lacto; with a solid pale/wheat malt backbone against acidity. Zero residual sweetness from crisp/clean carbonated dryness. A very enjoyable offering, and well made style example as expected.

Tasted in a Rastal Teku from a one pint can on March 5, 2019. Berliner Weiss ale brewed with apricots. Look is slightly cloudy gold. Smell and taste is tart apricot. Feel is dry.