Micromanaged
Corporate Ladder Brewing Company

Brewed in the gluten-free style, Corporate Ladder goes and pokes its nose around in a non-grain version of smoothie sour ale that has turned this brewery into a seltzer company.

Pale and muddy mauve, Micromanaged shows a spritzy upstart with a still smoothie appearance shortly after. With a radiant fruit display of dark berry, cider, wine and cream, the scent of fruit punch is front and center on the nose. The tongue sees similar with an early slather of fruit preserves, heavy cream, vanilla, fructose and taffy.

As the fruit sweetness washes the tongue with sugars, the creaminess gives way for a more natural sourness of white wine and cider to play out like wine spritzer on the middle palate. Boysenberry and blackberry provide a plummy, cherry and cobbler-like taste while the tartness of both fruit and acids balance the sweetness and counter the vanilla that frames the finish.

Much more of a seltzer-like session rather than one of ale, this kettle fruited sour has a simplicity and comfort that makes it endearing, but lacks the complexity of more formidable ale. Finishing candied and sticky, the session lasts with fruit candy and bubbly champagne.