Absofruitly: Red Raspberry
Chapman Crafted Beer

 

 

 

Modest head production with OK retention. Brew is hazily translucent, and a deep, brownish red color.

The nose is just as others have described: a sharp, bright, jammy, sweet, and tangy blast of raspberries - and little else. It may be fairly one-dimensional, but it's wonderfully inviting.

Flavor might be a bit of a surprise if you're expecting a Framboise Lambic after the nose: it's definitely a Berliner. Musty and rustic up front, the raspberry flavor quickly sets in: first, with a sharp tartness; then, around the middle, with a restrained berry sweetness. It's lacking a certain milkiness I associate with Berliners, but otherwise carries a moderate tartness, light vinegary sourness, and moderate-to-strong mustiness.

Puckering from the get-go and through the finish. Quite lively, with a bit of sting, and fuller bodied than most in the style. At 5.2% ABV, it's also rather strong for the style, which likely accounts for the heavier body.

Thanks to 2beerdogs for this one. 16oz can poured into 14oz teku. Poured a solidly murky dark pink color with about 1/4 inch of light pink head that had moderate retention and light lacing.

The aroma was a huge blast of raspberries (and I love raspberries!) with just a hint of underlying tartness. No real grain or hops in the scent. Very similar on the tongue, loads of raspberries.

The body was the typical thin of the style, and had a dry and puckering finish. Drinkability was very good, I could easily knock back a couple of these. Overall, a pretty nice brew, worth your time if you see it.

 

Poured from a 16 oz can into my 18th street chalice.
Glorious ruby to watermelon hued with a fluffy white (pink-tinged) cap. Opaque. Clean foam sticks to the glass like soap.
Smell is raspberry all day. Fruity, jammy, real raspberry. Smells like Grandma boiling up the mashed fruit, ready to can, yet she had a gentle touch on the sugar.
Taste is mildly sour, enough bite to wake your mouth up though. Slight vinegar note, as well as salt. But the fruit keeps coming back. Like a mouthful of raspberries diluted down with a Berliner.
Mouthfeel is slightly slick, round, but the carbonation drops off a tad more than expected. But the flavors really involve the whole mouth.
Overall, a tad more carbonation, like it had in the beginning, and I's like it even better. But then again, I love this one already. Wife is asking me if she can finish mine!

On tap at Chapman Crafted, Orange, CA

Blood red like my baby mama’s eyes after she had a few too many White Zin’s the night before, this one had the Raul man intrigued. Scent is juice, pure raspberry juice like my baby mama would chug the morning after trying get her senses back. Taste? Yeah, like whatever. Damn near pure juice. That’s it. Maybe with a lil alcohol involved. But there’s no pucker. There is no tartness... And like Gwen Stefani in a mini skirt, there is no body.

Pass.