Sleeveless Tea
Brewery Ommegang

 

A: crystal clear; pale gold in color; 1 finger finely pored fizzy white head that receded to a splotchy cap; no lacing;

S: not especially aromatic; what's there is tea, lemon, and light malt;

T: the tea and lemon come through nicely; there is also a hint of cinnamon in the background; virtually no bitterness;

M: light to medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish;

O: very refreshing;

really unexpected style from these guys, who have been expanding into new stuff like crazy lately it seems, this is really modern and even kind of strange for a classic brewer of belgian styles, but the beer is real tasty, no denying it, even several months after its best buy date, this doesnt seem to have fallen off at all. i dont know if it was always a little tart with all this lemon, or if it has somehow gotten that way in the can over time, but i think the little pop of finishing acidity makes it more drinkable and refreshing, and it cuts the sweetness nicely, whether intentional or not. its gorgeous out of the can too, holds two inches of white head, looks lightly hazy but delicate still, and visually appears belgian, ommegang through and through in terms of how it looks. the nose is more lemon than tea but i get both, a little mouthwatering lemon candy vibe here, but it also seems pretty natural at the same time. not a whole lot from the grain or the lager yeast, but its summery and exciting, pretty robust on the extra ingredients. the flavor agrees, more lemon than tea, lots of it, a little bit coming at the expense of the base lager, but it does hold up just enough. the tea has some nice earthy bitter low end to it, keeps this grounded even more than the malt does, some bitterness late, but this is still pretty sweet, a confection sort of toothy sweet vibe through the swallow, more from the lager yeast would be good at the end. there is no denying this tastes good though, a hot weather boat sort of drink, a little strange in november time, but i am glad i didnt miss this one, its unique as these go, a cool mix of flavors and a technically very good base beer too, even if its largely obscured here. neat to see some weird innovation like this from ommegang, but i still much prefer their belgian styles! this seems more like something boulevard would do...

Poured from 16oz can into a dimpled mug. There's a best-by date on the bottom of the can, but it's hard to read - sometime in 2021.

Appearance: slightly hazy straw hue with a finger of frothy white foam atop. Not too bad.

Smell: very bright and lemony, that's for damn sure. There's hints of tea in there as well; it's interesting.

Taste: lemon, tea and just a bit of beery malt underneath. It's an interesting and refreshing beverage, but it doesn't really read as "beer" to be.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a moderate carbonation and decent creaminess.

Overall: yeah, this beer is refreshing, and would probably be super great on the beach. It's quite drinkable, but I probably wouldn't want to drink a bunch of these.

 

 

 

 

Served from the can in a Lagunitas mason jar.

More puns. Oof. Anyway, this stuff pours a clear straw topped by a finger of relatively short-lived finger of lightly off-white foam. The nose comprises lemon drops, mild iced tea, and a bit of what smells like lavender. The taste brings in more of the same, the tea taking more of a leadership role here, and then some sharp ginger flies in at the last minute to throw some real confusion into the mix. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a liquid feel. Overall, an interesting brew, one that appears to evoke the desired outcome, but it's just not for me, dawg.

 

 

L: hazy, light gold color, thin head, minimal lacing
S: not much nose
T: tart lemon sweet iced tea
F: the tartness takes over the mouth
O: I know it’s gimmicky, but damn refreshing on a hot day