Birds of Fire
Orpheus Brewing

 

 

Bursting with the radiance of all things orange, Orpheus embraces the citrus culture of the South in a sour ale that gives the fruit its proper stage.

Pouring the expected and prescribed appearance of burnish orange, the creamy headed Bird of Fire simply bursts with the perfume of orange and herb in a strong citronella scent. A gentle sweetness soon follows as the beer's malt profile is supporting and subtle with taffy, sourdough and sweet cream flavors.

As the sour ale washes the middle palate, the orange steps aside to allow the natural acidity of the ale to share its stage. Lime, lemon, green apple, kiwi and green grape give the orange an added layer of complexity and gives a stronger tartness to its taste than what the citrus provides on its own. Softened with a touch of vanilla, the late taste is tart but rounded for a less than abrasive bite.

Light and pithy bitterness plays counter to the mild sweetness and creamy vanilla additions as the medium bodied sour ale finishes fruity and tart with a perfumy orange echo in aftertaste. Birds of Fire is a tart and slightly bitter sour beer that really needs greater acidity and dryness to allow the citrus to stand out further.