Brain Squeeze - Blackberry/Cucumber
Drekker Brewing Company

 

Review 1648
Brain Squeeze Blackberry & Cucumber
Drekker Brewing
Date: 02 June 2021
I was fascinated by this beer; I am a fan of cucumbers in beverages. I poured into tulip glass; the temperature was around 44 degrees. The pour created a frothy light pink/light maroon head. The quick dissipation left bits of fruit on the glass. The color looks like macerated blackberry lemonade but thicker. The appearance is typical of what Drekker does with their fruity beers

The aromas are cucumbers, berries, vanilla, toasted crackers, fruity sweetness, a slight lemony acidic note.

I taste cucumbers, berries, vanilla, toasted crackers, fruity sweetness, floral, and salt.

The mouthfeel is thick and creamy.

The body is heavy, low carbonation, a pleasant lingering finish.

This beer is brilliant! I love the fact they did not make the cucumber overly assertive next to the tart berries. I get this yin and yang in the beer. When cucumber beverages are done correctly, it is delightful to drink. The sourness is not overbearing and allows the fruit and vegetable to come through. I love this beer!

 

 

Poured into a tulip.

Pours opaque magenta with no head but a trace of lacing. Aromas of blackberry and cucumber are restrained and light but present. The flavors are bit more in the game, but still pretty light-touch. I understand that Drekker was going for a more-restrained approach on this sour, but maybe this one could have had a bit more horsepower on the flavor. That said, the cucumber on the finish is really tasty. The mouthfeel is also pleasantly light and in-line with the expectation. Maybe a bit more acidity would have brought this up a notch.

Drekker Brain Squeeze Smoothie Sour Blackberry/Cucumber, 4.5% ABV. Pours opaque maroon with a half-finger pink head that left no lacing. Nose is light blackberry and even lighter cucumber. Taste is blackberry and cucumber, slightly sweet, slightly tart, cucumber in the aftertaste. Feels a bit thin compared to their other fruit sours, and is light on carbonation. Overall very good. This was a bit disappointing, not much flavor.

A: The beer is very hazy purple in color. It poured with a short off white head that left a thin collar around the edge and some streaks of lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of blackberries are present in the nose along with hints of cucumber.
T: The taste follows the smell and has a little stronger flavors of cucumber, particularly in the finish.
M: It feels a bit more than light-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The combination of blackberries and cucumbers is definitely an interesting and unique combination in this beer. It's hardly sour at all and the cucumbers seem to mellow out any acidity that might be associated with the blackberries.

Serving type: can

Pours a light hazy for Drekker light plum color not much head or lacing. Smell is what advertised its blackberry and cucumber. Taste is fruity with blackberry and cucumber has a big part of the taste with some dill and juice. Mouth feel is not sweet or fresh a little tartness cucumber is the star here but not overpowering.

Deep plum, opaque and purée/smoothie look. Decent lavender head that fades quickly. Cucumber on the nose, a hint of that Bloody Mary vegetal spice/petrichor. Blackberry evident in the taste and scent as well. Body not as thick as a smoothie but holds up to the style. Smooth, creamy, not too sweet. Good carbonation and pleasant ABV. Any of the brain squeeze series is worth a try if that’s your thing.

It tastes exactly what I expected a cucumber sour to taste like. Essentially pickle juice with a bit of fruit. Even has that mild salty tang to it, so you have to like pickles to like this beer; that was not quite there for me.

16oz can into a pint glass. NO freshness dating, but a very recent release. Tavour shipment.

Looks interesting in the glass. Dull thick claret body with a small white head which persists in some form throughout leaving a little lacing.

Blackberry aroma with the lightest of light funk smell.

On taste, both the cucumber and blackberry come through very well. It is is quite tart. Salt lays lightly on the lips. Any funk from the brett is barely detectable. There is a very light coating, which may or may not be from the vanilla bean

Mouth between medium and full, finish more blackberry than anything else, with a tart and lightly salty end.

Overall, I love blackberries and cucumbers (English cukes of course old bean). This was a very enjoyable drink for me. If Drekker felt the urge to distribute to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I would be ok with that.