Riptide Fiddler
2nd Act Beer

 

I had this on draught at a pub in Morristown. Pint pour served in a shaker glass. It pours a pretty ruby-orange color with a foamy tan head with great retention and a silky sheen of lacing. The nose is fairly subdued but in addition to the bready malt there is some sweet tropical fruit and tart grapefruit. The fruit takes a back seat in the taste to dark bread, earthy peat, nuts, and a hint of chocolate. There's only a touch of the citrus and light bitterness at the finish. I thought the taste was interesting; it drinks more like brown ale. What's really impressive is the mouth feel: very creamy and rich with mild carbonation, and at 7% ABV it's not hard to drink. The feel is almost stout-like. Overall, I enjoyed it more than I would if it were a hoppy grapefruit bomb. 2nd Act's beers have been very interesting; almost all have bridged different styles. Riptide Fiddler looks like a Red Ale, tastes like a Brown Ale, and has the feel of a low ABV Stout. But it works!