Strawberry Shortcake
Great Notion Brewing

Poured from a 16 ounce undated can into a Teku glass at 49 degrees.

Look- Dull off red, light pink creamy head, opaque, small amount of visible particulate at margins, above average head retention, slightly above average lacing.

Smell- Strawberry, vanilla, high strength of flavor.

Taste- Strawberry, vanilla, highly sour, mildly sweet, between medium and weak strength of flavor.

Feel- Medium body, slightly above average carbonation, highly creamy, highly sour, mildly sweet, mildly dry finish.

Overall- Right from the jump the color of this beer was awful, but the rest of the appearance characteristics were good. The bouquet was a very appealing mix of strawberry and vanilla. The flavor left me wishing it had matched the nose closer. It had strawberry character, but not nearly enough to balance the sourness. The feel was very nice with an abundance of creaminess to go along with a medium body and just enough dryness at the finish to keep me coming back for the next sip. Overall this beer had a really nice nose and feel, but flavor that was well below my expectation and an unappealing color. All told this beer proved to be enjoyable, but average.

Canned 5/26/23. “Get better Dob” stamped on the side of the can

I haven’t had anything from Great Notion in a minute, but a Kettle Sour with strawberry sounds like a refreshing way to finish off my night. Let’s crack it open and see what it’s all about

Pours a hazy burnt orange with 2 fingers of fluffy whitish orange head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves decent lacing

The shortcake aspect is definitely a big part of this, but thankfully it’s not too sweet. I’m picking up on aromas of shortbread cookies, vanilla bean, juicy strawberry, marshmallow, lemon meringue, light graham cracker, and orange juice

It’s more of the same in taste, maybe just a touch sweeter. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting juicy strawberry, graham cracker, vanilla bean, honey, lemon zest, shortbread cookies, and light toffee. The swallow brings notes of shortbread cookies, strawberry candy, lemon zest, vanilla bean, graham cracker, light honey, and orange juice

A light medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a crisp beer. Finishes mostly dry with a balanced tartness

This one is solid all around. Quite simplistic but good for what it is

16oz can. No dating information found.
Totally murky body has the color of apricot juice mixed with apple juice. Brief thin finger of off white head. Leaves behind scattered small lacing spots.
Aroma of strawberry, vanilla, and lactic acid.
Taste is tart, but also sweet, with flavors of strawberry, lemon, vanilla, and lactic acid. Quick end in the aftertaste.
Thicker than medium mouth feel, almost nectar-like. Induces tongue numbness. Good carbonation.
Authentic strawberry flavor, and a good balance between sweet and tart.

 

i have been critical of these guys in the past for making everything a flavored beer, but ive had to walk that back a few times as each time i try one, i am impressed, definitely generally not my thing, but they do them so well it simply has to be respected and admired, and this one is excellent too. the strawberries are really natural in it, and the beer is way more tart than sweet, although not too sour to pound on, amazing how much flavor from the fruit comes through, and how much the vanilla works with it, really nice. it doesnt look amazing, murky and pretty dense from the tap, although still with a nice head on it and plenty of bubbles. the nose is freeze dried strawberries, actual shortcake (nice work on the mash here), and just some light clean acidity, very balanced it seems, summery as they come, and natural on the vanilla without it being overdone. the flavor follows, strawberries all through it, bold but still very natural, and not so sweet that it tastes like berry candy. vanilla in support, also highly authentic, and the fuller cereal grain base makes it drink a little more cakey, so this really does play like the dessert. i like the little accent of citrus in the lactic profile, its cool its not super sour, and i think the robustness of the fruit is what makes it, good concept and good execution. i have come full circle, not on these styles, but on great notion doing them, always ahead of the field in terms of quality, this is really good. rad art too!

 

 

Canned 6/23/22

L: Hazy red/amber. Off white head has good retention. Tons of visible carbonation.

S: Sweet strawberries and cream. The strawberry notes are a bit artificial.

T: Strawberry candy dominates with hints of vanilla cream peeking through. Slightly tart and very sweet— a bit cloying.

F: Effervescent, medium bodied

O: Good, but far from Great Notion’s best. This one is a bit too artificial tasting for my liking.

 

 

Loved the blueberry muffin, this the residual sweetness of the strawberry ran away with the profile unfortunately. Just sugary strawberry jam dumped into a bath of vanilla, sugar, and whipped cream, diabetic nightmare. This was true in the smell but more palatable because there was no cloying unlike the taste. Feel breaks down in a hurry into sugary water with a hint of tartness. But hey it looks nice with the murky orangey red body and white head.

 

 

From the shoulder of the can, just under the lip: "LIFE'S TOO SHORT 06/23/22"

Appearance: The body looks orange with a hint of purple-red. The body is hazy but formed shadows are visible through it. It has a peach-colored head that is thick and very foamy and frothy. It has excellent head retention and some nice thick rings of lacing that drop out to thick blotches of foam.

Aroma: Sulfur comes through up front with a bit of soured fruit. Some light raspberry. The aroma is pretty soft.

Taste: Strawberry candy comes through up front with a light vanilla flavor. The middle of the mouth is a lighter version of strawberry and vanilla and some raspberry. Raspberry character seems to come through more in the middle than anything else. There is some cream of wheat that pops up after a while which is nice. The flavors stay the same through the finish.

Mouthfeel: The beer has a pleasant medium mouthfeel. Carbonation feels good and it has a nice mellow softness. It is very enjoyable to drink.

Overall: The can says that this is a "TART ALE WITH STRAWBERRY AND NATURAL FLAVORS" and it does have a bit of strawberry but similar to a lot of other sour beers it takes on a more raspberry-focused flavor. There is a touch of vanilla and some cream of wheat flavor which is nice. As a whole it was a pleasant drink and I could enjoy it again from time to time. The beer doesn't scream strawberry shortcake but it is decent enough. I recommend it to people who like standard kettle sour beers that are executed well but not to those who might be looking for a strong strawberry-focused beer.

Can poured into a Mountain Rambler Brewery pint glass

A: Pours slightly hazy reddish orange amber with a frothy pale tan head that settles to a light layer and laces nicely.

S: Tart berries, a touch of vanilla, subtle sweetness, faint funk, and biscuity malt.

T: Pleasant lactic tartness, slightly underripe strawberry, a touch of vanilla, subtle earthy funk, biscuity malt, and a touch of alcohol.

M: Medium body, moderate carbonation.

O: Not bad, but not their best. Strawberry is a tricky flavor to work with. I'm wondering if a touch of lactose or a bit more sweetness would help carry it better.

 

16oz can at share. Light amber pour, cloudy with a small foamy head. Fruity aroma, strawberries, sweet. Taste is more strawberry with some lactose ginving it a sweet, milky vibe.

 

This is not retired. Canned 6/29/21. Poured from fridge temp. Pours a nice deep orange with little head. The nose - OMG it's strawberry shortcake. For real. That's it - that's pretty much all I get. The taste is slightly different. Definitely tart, which you wouldn't get from strawberry shortcake. Vanilla cream, a hint of toffee, strawberry licorice, and shortcake! Very interesting beer that you should only try if you love strawberry shortcake!