Prickly Pear
Alvarado Street Brewery

L: A darker blonde ale with a touch of red.
S: Light prickly pear
T: A light crisp, clean start into a prickly pear body beer.
F: Prickly pear soda.
O: An odd light but very enjoyable sour that shows off uncommon fruit.

 

Draft at the brewery in a tulip glass.

Look: pink, like a ripe prickly pear, or guava juice but clearer.

Smell: fruit forward, passion fruit, guava citrus with a hint of wheaty maltiness.

Taste: Amazing! Like a smooth slightly sweet sparkling white-wine with a big whalop of fruit. Passion fruit guava and lime. Tastes like pure distilled summer. Tartness is pleasant and mild. Little brine which balances it nicely. Ultra tasty.

Feel: Medium to light body with a nice mild carbonation that adds wonderfully to the mouth feel. Nice.

Overall: one of my favorite sours. Very drinkable and pleasant. Distilled summer enjoyment in a glass. A real crown pleaser. Well done!

 

 

Poured from 16oz can into 20oz tulip glass. Canned 2/27/18

Look: Radiant pinkish red. Color resembles flesh of a darker grapefruit. About 1/2" bubbly head formation, with minimal residual lacing on glass.

Smell: Not much on the nose. I pick up on fruit (obviously), but it is hard for me to distinctly smell pear. Raspberry, guava, passionfruit, peach and strawberry also noticeable on the smell. Slight presence that resembles that of a wheat or berliner beer.

Taste: Really awesome. Pear flavor upfront, with hints of afore mentioned fruits, such as raspberry, peach, passionfruit and some grapefruit. Somewhat white-wine flavor aspects as well, but not astringently. Tartness to the taste, with a complementary sour aspect. Somewhat sweet from the fruit on the finish as well. Really great tasting.

Feel: Medium in body with a defined weight to the beer. Carbonation is medium-to high. Mouthfeel is good overall.

Overall: This is a tasty brew. At 6% ABV, it is very drinkable. I shared with some family members who are not fond of sours, but this one is a hit. Cheers!