Short Fuse
Braxton Brewing Company - Braxton Covington

 

 

 

 

Look - great copper color with a slight white head and good filming
Smell - light grapefruit syrup
Taste - slight malt with grapefruit syrup
Feel - medium body and on the lighter side of carbonation
Overall - not that ggreat

 

If impressions of fruit are good, then the use of actual fruit must be better. Right? That's the thought process that goes through the minds of Braxton brewers as a thirst for summertime beer is high and hops are scarce. Their grapefruit pale ale takes those hoppy suggestions of citrus and pushes it through the ceiling.

Short Fuse is only around for the summer session as it simple gleans in the glass with a bright golden, slight tawny amber hue. An arid white froth emerges and rolls onto the senses with obvious grapefruit, but also orange, pine and an overall dry grassiness. Modestly sweet with honey, nuttiness and caramel, the lightly toasted malts splash the tongue first with grain and granola.

The sweetness moderates and the hops grow to bring the middle palate to within an even keel balance, perhaps a bit hop tilted. But the grapefruit additions make the beer decidedly fruit as the pulp, juices, pith and peel all play off of the hops in a radiant, sharp and spicy tone. Bittersweet to finish, the pectins of fruit seem to exacerbate the hop bitterness and gives the beer a zesty and spicy finish.

Medium bodied and trailing with both moderate sweetness and moderate bitterness, the beer itself is refreshing, piney, and redolent with citrus peel even without the grapefruit. The additions however, give the beer an absolute citrus character that finishes with a mild astringency and grassy aftertaste.