Pushing Buttons
Southern Grist Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

Typical good-looking and silky smooth SG body, except for the multitude of floating chunks of, well...protein?...yeast? Who knows, but pretty off-putting. Unfortunately the smell and taste are just too off the wall for me, as well, at least in terms of rating it in the American IPA category. Definitely notes of lemon candy and melon on the nose and tongue, but the overwhelming personality is that of berries and (unfortunately) fruity cough syrup. Taste is very much the same. There's a little tartness and a lot of muddled fruit. Some bubblegum notes. But the medicinally sweet quality (to go along with the inescapable aroma) is really, really overwhelming. Just not my cup of tea, if it's actually what this beer was intended to be. (Given the insoluble mess and bizarre aroma and flavor profiles, I really wonder if there isn't something wrong with the 4-pack I bought. I've drain-poured the first two I opened and simply won't bother with the other two.) The feel is at least a positive. But this is the first SG beer that is legitimately bad, and clearly a collab with Aslin (Aslin!) that went horribly wrong. Unless this is what they think a "sour IPA" is supposed to be, in which case the faux genre simply isn't for me.

 

 

This was a collab with Aslin Beer Company (VA) and is described as a "sour IPA with lemons, limes, oranges, oats, lactose, vanilla, and jasmine tea."
Look: a hazy golden straw color with a thick and resilient white head. Lots of floaties in this one. Like a snow globe.
Aroma: oranges and vanilla. Mainly creamsicle-like but with faint floral notes.
Taste: a nice tartness from the lemons and limes. The orange and vanilla were there but not out front. The floral tea came through nicely on the finish. Restrained and soft bitterness.
Feel: medium bodied and slightly sweet from the lactose.
Overall: a fun beer. The flavors played well together.