Rainbow Road: Raspberry Sherbet Sour Ale
Colony Handcrafted Ales

 

the first in what i understand to be a series of dessert inspired berliners. this one is rad, not too heavy on the raspberry and they taste really natural in here. the sourness isnt too much either, resonating with a similar acidity as the berries themselves. the beer is bright pink in color and rather clear for the style. its carbonated well too, fizzy and holding a short white head. the lacto souring is well restrained but its not as clean as it could be, not cheesed up or sweaty or anything, but there is a residual weirdness to it that is faint but noticeable, which is my only real critique of this, clean that up and you have a total winner. the berries are as tart as they are sweet, so there is excellent balance to this despite its relative simplicity. berries and citrusy pucker, followed by a very pale and simple malt base, very little going on there, which lets the fruit really shine in its natural glory. a little thin in body, but overall a very good sour. i was impressed with how ambitious these guys have already gotten for being so new!

On tap at the brewpub. Comes a darker red with a small pinkish head. Aroma of tart fruit. Taste is raspberries, yeast, malt, and grain. Not too tart. Raspberries do not dominate. Very nice.