Electric Ditty Bag
Southern Grist Brewing Co.

 

 

3-week-old can poured into a snifter.

Absolute stunner of a beer in terms of looks, aroma profile, and mouthfeel. But the taste is just a tad lacking, in comparison, otherwise this would be world class haze.

Gorgeous orange-gold liquid with a deep haze, touch of murk, and wonderful creaminess. Big, thick initial head, bright white and tightly compact. Wonderful abstract lacing down the glass.

I noticed the incredible orange aroma before I even started pouring the beer. Possible the orangiest-smelling beer I’ve ever enjoyed, up there with some classic Aslin offerings. Sweet mandarin and tangerine with some candied orange gummies on top. There’s additional citrus and tropical fruits that poke through sporadically, but the orange dominates (to my great pleasure). The juiciness is balanced by wonderful dank, weedy greens that tread into green onion territory (also Aslin-like), which I love. Really exceptional, reminding me (quality-wise) of the Tree House beers I had earlier this summer.

Those greens are where the taste profile goes slightly sideways, as the balance isn’t quite as perfect on the tongue. Lots of citrus fruit and a spot-on juicy sweetness, but the greenery is a tad starchy and just a little too strong. Pithy, bitter grapefruit finish that sets you up enthusiastically for the next sip. But you have to like dank hazies to love this one. If I could tweak the taste profile to better match the nose, I would, because it would become a near perfect beer. But it’s still damn tasty as is.

Feel is soft and silky, as expected, with a really ideal level of coating and chewiness (for an 8% hazy). Not chunky or overly thick, but there’s plenty of substance.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Buck89 for this Nashville Nicety. Canned: BOOGIE WOOGIE WOOGIE 03/02/18
Pours golden, leaning on the color of an overripe peach. Not turbid, yet completely opaque. Fluffy off-white head pushes upward in my Yazoo tulip. Sta-raight up blanket o' lacing clinging to my glass opposite of my maw. Southside is patchy and lite. Wow.
Aromas are straight up juicy. Peach, mango, and a sweet, yet acidic, pineapple note.
Taste is much more subtle. A slightly creamy note begins with the foam. Slightly bitter and earthy mango, hints of citrus mixing with pineapple, a hint of grapefruit pith comes through at the end. A hint of onion too.
Mouthfeel is fluffy and a good carbonation hangs on for the whole ride.
Overall, I was just hoping for the flavor to follow the nose a tad more. But still a really tasty DIPA.

 

 

 

Looks like a glass of grapefruit juice - grapefruit color, not a scintilla of daylight visible when looking through the glass, and creamy light tan head. The aromas are straight off the USS Hop Bomb - dank grapefruit, mango, sweet pineapple, passion fruit. A hop smorgasbord.

The taste and mouthfeel are the best parts of this beer - the grapefruit taste is really prominent (think grapefruit rind), but the mango shines, too, so you’re not in “bitter beer face” mode, and there’s also the slightest bit of alcohol present, which actually helps balance the preponderance of citrus flavors.

The mouthfeel has bite - that is a common component I’ve noticed in my forays into the hazier DIPA’s, and I welcome it. I know I’m drinking a beer, not a glass of juice.

Exceptionally well-executed by Southern Grist, IMHO.