Reality Check
Bearded Iris Brewing

 

With the reality that simple sour beer wins audiences, Bearded Iris feels the pressure to step away from their hazy ways and dabble in the fruit and tart for appeasement and enticement.

And with that, Reality Check pours with a seductive peachy blush that's cast in a lightly foggy haze. As a spritzy and arid froth rises and falls, the fruity perfume of melon and citrus drift across the nose in seltzer-like fashion. With the first sip, a sense of simple fructose, light syrups and taffy comes with mild sourdough and wafer communion crackers.

With the popping bubbles carrying away the flimsy malt structures, the fruit springs forward with watermelon and yuzu that seem to carry impressions of raspberry and lemon. As the sour underpinnings of the ale only provide a brisk and lazy tartness, hints of green apple, white grape and lime help with the delicate fruit additions. Finishing bubbly, bright and with a hint of dry burlap, the simple session is complete.

Light, refreshing and left with a mild tacky sweetness, the off=clean sour ale reads as much like a seltzer as it does anything ale-related. While the devoted craft beer drinker will want more from this ale, the reality sets in that breweries have their sights set on new audiences.