Epicurian Series 2021 - Hotel Water
Urban Artifact

 

I actually drank this while in a hotel lobby, I felt it was appropriate. Canned variant. Pours a light gold with a thin head that dissipates fast. Aroma is a classic gose, hints of citrus, pepper, cucumber and lime. Drinking it feels like drinking water with cucumber and lime slices in it but its beer. I thoroughly enjoyed this one but FYI, it's a sour kick in the balls and I like that.

 

 

 

 

 

16 ounce can, canned on 06/09/21. Served in an Urban Artifact chalice, the beer pours a cloudy gold color with about an inch white head. Head retention and lacing are both good. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like cucumber, lime and lemon. Taste is pretty much just like the aroma, but there's a hint of dill and bready malt noticeable too. Decent amount of tartness. In both the aroma and taste this really reminds me of their Pickle beer but with less kick to it. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's easy enough to drink with a moderate amount of carbonation. If you like their Pickle beer as much as I do, then give this one a try. I thought this was good!

Pulling out all the culinary stops, Urban Artifact's dive into the world of food flavored beer leads them to cucumbers, lemons and limes in sour ale that fit for luxury.

Hotel Water pours an standard hazy straw before floating a creamy white froth. Its soft and herbal scent hinges on the floral nature of basil, melon and fresh cucumbers white a light tingle of citrus, cider, bread and wine follow closely behind. A gentle sweetness of sourdough and light taffy provide a soft malty foundation of flavor.

As the cucumber releases its herbal, honeydew and nearly dill suggestion in taste, a bright and floral flavor follows the same aromatic release. The natural sourness of the ale adds a tart lime, lemon, gooseberry, green apple, white grape and yuzu acidity that pairs well with the lemon and lime additions, although they get somewhat lost in the sourness. A late taste of sourdough returns to balance the sourness as the ale continues to trend herbal.

Medium bodied for sour ale but perhaps light overall, the beer's doughy support begs for more sourness and a bolder, brighter cucumber character. Expecting notes of gin gimlet to arise, this Epicurian release simply lacks the boldness that's expected from this series.