Syzygy
Hudson Valley Brewery

 

 

Looks like hibiscus tea.

Smell is sour floral and berry fruit.

Taste is the same with some sweetness. No vanilla or hops for that matter.

Feel is sour with some body.

Silhouette seems to be the only one I like from this brewery, pretty disappointing.

 

Pouring a pint can's contents to empty the vessel into a clear glass liter mug, here are the results. It's a brilliant pour, as a shining, but not translucent, reddish-violet color shows. The off-white head was short-lived. There's a sniff of berries, hibiscus and maybe something like apple cider, all with a sour backbone for the nose. This is not, even with the added vanilla, some sort of fruity dessert sour. Even with the lactose, this is a fruited sour. Of course, the lactose muddles distinct flavors at the questionable benefit of adding some body. In this case, the result is something that tastes like, don't laugh, the spicing in a hot dog. Try it and you'll understand. There's really no chance of distinguishing the Blackberrys from the hibiscus from the vanilla. These criticisms don't mean this is bad, although it would probably be be better without the lactose. It is sour, but not difficulty so, fully flavored and has a mouthfeel more supple than most within its style. The last characteristic shouldn't be considered a compliment. Although there was plenty of carbonation and it drank effervescently, there was no glass lacing, nor sustaining head. Overall, it's not bad, but it could possibly be better, perhaps not as popular, without the lactose.

 

 

 

Drank from a 16 fl. oz. can purchased at Craft Beer Cellar, Belmont, MA
Served in a tulip

Gorgeous appearance. The beer poured a hazy blueberry color and was topped by a fluffy, finger-tall, light lavender crown that slowly dropped to a dollop of froth. A wall of patchy, streaky lacing coated the glass and stuck around for quite a while.

The aroma was outstanding. Hibiscus tea notes came through big time. Really fruity and bright. A bit strawberry like. Somewhat herbal as well. Good dose of vanilla too. Cherry notes were also detectable. A touch medicinal perhaps. Nice balance of sweet and tart. Later, the medical quality dissipated and the sweetness intensified.

The flavor profile was also impressive though definitely more tart and simplistic than the nose. Berry notes came through strong from the start. Underripe blackberry and raspberry specifically. Vanilla appeared next. Herbal tea-like notes were apparent as well. More berry like tartness on the back end and the finish. Bit of lemon-like acidity too.

Nice fluffy, medium bodied mouthfeel. Creamy and smooth on the palate. The liquid contained a finer beaded, greater than average effervescence that worked nicely.

Although Syzygy was more tart and acidic than your typical Hudson Valley sour IPA, it was one of the more interesting beers I have tried by them. While the adjuncts in this were quite punchy, the beer still demonstrated balance and nuance.

 

I love Hudson Valley Sour Beers and Syzygy is my absolute favorite. The profile of blackberries and vanilla bean and hibiscus flowers and its so tasty. I love it. I pretty much hated beer until my husband made me try this one and I love it so much.

 

 

 

Gorgeous deep plum body with a high opacity and billowy light pink head produced with moderate pour. Aromas of blueberry, strawberry, vanilla yogurt, sweet cream ice cream, orange flower, and blackberry. Tastes largely follow the nose; very fruity, not super tart or jammy, with a decent amount of yogurt-like sweetness from the lactose. Hibiscus is much more noticeable in the flavors. Soft mouthfeel. One of my favorites so far from Hudson Valley, and they routinely impress me as it is

89/100

 

A: Carmine colored: deep shade of ruby with some purple at times. Whispering and fleeting, light magenta head.

S: Bursts with floral tropical fruit tied together by the vanilla. Jammy. Snapped twigs, freshly crushed plums. Cassis mixed with oolong.

M: Soft feel while also being tart and snappy. Med-full bodied.

T: Lo-sugar blackberry preserves, berry sorbet, mango slushies. Transitions to pine, grapefruit, and slight grassiness before the tart hibiscus component features heavily. It finishes like a cranberry-merlot gelee with a snap of underripe strawberries, exotic plums and loquats. Once again, the vanilla really provides a soothing floral tone to the bright hibiscus and blackberry flavors. The hibiscus imbued cranberry would make this a very good beer at Thanksgiving. At times, the hibiscus aria really steals the show in a prima donna fashion.
Update: After a month sitting, the hibiscus has waned, and there's a much more resplendent intermingling of the flavors.