Twisted Zweig: Blackberry
Forager Brewing Company

 

super impressed with forager right now, these beers are awesome, and this is one of the better fruited berliner types i have had in awhile, stained deep pink almost purple from all the fruit. i think its cool that its an imperial berliner, at 8% abv, it can afford to offer a bit more wheat malt flavor and texture, and thats something i often miss in the lighter takes on the style. the berries are so fresh and forward in this, maybe just pulped up fresh in a blender and strained, its juicy and skinny and really dramatic. i can even smell them, and thats uncommon with this sometimes subtle (at least in beer) fruit. the sourness is clean and moderate, a well controlled lacto strain, with bright lemon and even lime notes, a tangy sharpness, but not acidic enough to limit drinkability in the least. i like the body and i think it helps the blackberries have a longer lasting presence in this beer. good carbonation and an almost jammy finish despite it being dry. the real two successes in this are it being stronger and more grainy and substantial, and the almost absurd amount of blackberries they must have used to get them to come through so strong and authentically. really bomb stuff!