Not in Kansas
Blindman Brewing

 

 

355ml can - this year's Pink Boots brew from Blindman. Were any of the 'rad group of women' who helped out named Dorothy?

This beer pours a clear, dark red-brick brown colour, with two fingers of puffy, finely foamy, and somewhat bubbly tan head, which leaves some defrosting back windshield pattern lace around the glass as it lazily subsides.

It smells of gritty and grainy cereal malt, a bit of earthy nuttiness, some generic tart fruity notes, and leafy, weedy, and floral green hop bitters. The taste is grainy and crackery caramel malt, further oily nutty notes, some edgy apple and pear fruitiness, a damp minerality, and more leafy, herbal, and spicy hoppiness.

The carbonation is adequate in its perfunctory frothiness, the body a decent medium weight, and generally smooth, with just a touch of (hop?) acridity maybe taking things down a notch or so here. It finishes off-dry, the nutty malt working it like it really needs the money.

Overall - this comes across as a respectable version of the style, nice and grainy and frooty, with nary a sign of the elevated ABV. We might not be in Kansas, Toto, but we are decidedly in Wild Rose Country, as the flavour profile screams out craft Alberta malt.

Wait - another seasonal, special edition beer from Lacombe? Indeed. This version is a hoppy red ale brewed in celebration of International Women’s Day. It’s a nice red color, malt forward with a perceptible hop finish. Throw on your Pink Boots, click your heels, and watch out for flying monkeys.