Common Descent - Orange & Lime
Speciation Artisan Ales

Canned in ~2019.

Utterly unremarkable in appearance. Cloudy, almost dirty yellow with a small amount of very short-lived head. Aroma is pleasantly sour with lime taking the lead and other general citrus notes in the background. Taste mostly follows. Lime, faint orange and some salt. Light and very easy drinking. Would be a good summer beer.

 

 

A - Pours a lightly hazed gold with a fizzy white head. Head recedes quickly leaving some very light lacing.

S - Aroma is lime, salt and some light funkiness.

T - The taste is lime, lemon, orange peel, wheat and salt.

M - Light body with medium carbonation. Soft mouthfeel with a crisp dry finish.

O - A very solid fruited Berliner. Nice easy drinker. Perfect afternoon beer.

 

When I started pouring it, I thought it was the clearest and lightest beer I'd ever seen. I thought I was pouring water. By the end with everything from the can getting into the pint glass, it looked exactly like lemonade. And if I tried to pass it off to somebody as lemonade, they would take one smell and realize it's not. A very very funky brett smell is the first thing that hits me, then a little lime and orange underneath, a slight scent reminiscent of salt water. Has a taste reminiscent of a gose, with funkiness and saltiness. Very strong lime presence, a little bolder orange behind that. Lighter bodied, very dry finish. Refreshing crisp, zesty, and tasty. Dang good.

L - 1/2 finger head fizzles rapidly, leaving behind a translucent yellow body.

S - strong lime, salt.

T - lime and salt, with a little orange. No bitterness. Low sweetness. No booziness.

F - light body with high carb.

O - great out in the heat.

 

 

Pours a hazy, pale straw with a thin white head that fizzes away to nothing within seconds leaving the absolute thinnest of crowns and zero lacing.

Lightly tart aroma with key lime most prevalent, as well as a hint of orange.

Light tasting with a strong, relatively-clean wheat element standing out before a short-lived burst of tartness — again, lime is the most prevalent with a touch of orange behind — comes through in the finish, followed by more wheat in the aftertaste. Almost bready in some aspects, and certainly more wheat-forward than I’ve ever had in a Berliner Weisse. The fruit additions are lovely, though — very artfully executed. There are hints of vanilla, mineral water and even some very slight barnyard funk, as well.

The feel is just a tad heavier than light-bodied, fairly clean and appropriately fizzy.

The fruit flavors in this are marvelous, and the wheat character is quite a bit more pronounced that what I’ve typically found in Berliner Weisse. The wheat isn’t necessarily better, but it makes for an interesting change of pace and does complement the fruit nicely.

 

16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned in 5/2019., Pours fairly hazy pale golden straw color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy head with solid retention, that reduces to nothing eventually. No lacing and some clinging bubbles on the glass. Aromas of big sour/tart/tangy limes, orange, citrus zest, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, peppercorn, hay, straw, and grass; with lighter notes of wheat, cracker, white bread, leather/musty/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/acidic/funky/spicy yeast, limes, orange zest, and light-moderate pale/wheat malt notes; with big strength. Taste of big sour/tart/tangy limes, orange, citrus zest, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, peppercorn, hay, straw, and grass; with lighter notes of wheat, cracker, white bread, leather/musty/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tartness, fruit tang, and Brett spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/tangy limes, orange, citrus zest, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, peppercorn, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread, leather/musty/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/acidic/funky/spicy yeast, limes, orange zest, and light-moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; with a fantastic malt/tartness, tangy fruit, and yeast spiciness balance; with no puckering flavors after the finish. Very crisp/clean finishing. Moderate increasing dryness from lingering tang/tartness, yeast spiciness, and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and light body; with a very smooth and moderately grainy/acidic/tangy balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 3.8%. Overall this is a fantastic fruited Berliner weisse. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/acidic/funky/spicy yeast, limes, orange zest, and light-moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/drying finish; not overly lactic. Very flavorful and not watery for the ABV. Fantastic balance between vibrant citrus and Brett/Bacteria complexity; with a nice solid pale/wheat malt backbone against acidity. Zero residual sweetness with crisp acidic dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing style example. One of their best ones yet.