Paradise Lost - Guava
Blood Brothers Brewing

473 mL can from the LCBO; I don't see a packaging date. Now listed at 6.0%, and served barely chilled.

Pours a turbid, hazy golden-orange colour, with more than two fingers of puffy, foamy, sparkling white head erupting from the surface. It manages an admirable Rice Krispies impression as it sizzles off within a couple of minutes, reduced to bubbly collar and sudsy cap. Smells quite tart and sour on the nose - lemon juice, orange juice and guava nectar all come to mind, with a fair bit of bready, wheaty malts brought to bear, in addition to significant lactic character.

It's a solid guava sour, as the fruit shines beautifully through the (serviceable) flavours of the base sour beer. Guava nectar at the forefront and dominant throughout, with suggestions of orange juice, stone fruit and mango cropping up at times. More guava at the finish, joined by lemon yogurt and a firm lactic sourness that precedes an aftertaste of - you guessed it - guava (and lemon). Medium in body, with moderately lively carbonation that lends a sparkling quality to its generous, juice-like mouthfeel. Good drinkability, taking into account that it's 6% and quite tart/fruity - one can is easy to finish, but I feel like another would quickly become a chore.

Final Grade: 4.1, an A-. While there is no shortage of 'tropical fruited sours' that include guava - I've reviewed several in the past week or so - pure guava sours that are able to do the fruit justice are somewhat more elusive. Paradise Lost Guava is precisely that: the kettle sour flavours are there, and they do add significant sourness to the flavour profile, but the guava aromas and flavours are absolutely fantastic. If you're a fan of the fruit (or of tropical fruited sours in general), then this is something to seek out and buy in multiples.

Pours lemon opaque with big collar which dissipates. Nose is tart lemon and orange. Taste is also Lemon front lemonade with orange finish. Tarty but nice for a hot summer day. I hate sours so really don’t know why I did this but it is Blood brothers so I caved.

 

 

 

 

Medium: Tap at Tide & Boar, snifter glass.
Opacity: Deep hazy.
Color: Yellow.
Head: Faint half a finger.
Legs: Okay with poor swirl reaction.
Smell: Tart/Apples.
Taste: Wheat/Lemon/Guava.
Feel: Wild/Sour/Bready.
Body: Full oily with shy smoothness.
Carbonation: Quite crispy.
Overall: Good quality sour ale, a bit overly sour and acidic.

Visual 5.5/10 - Flavors 6/10 - Sensations 6/10 - Balance 6/10 -
Freshness 4/10 - Intensity 7.5/10 - Complexity 6/10 - Appreciation 6/10

I just had this at Bier Markt in Toronto so I don't believe it's retired. Super sour, though.

 

 

On draft at Bar Hop, Toronto 6/16/18. Solid day-drinking sour - not overwhelmingly tart, good expression from the guava, more Gose-like than a traditional sour (just minus the salt)