Watercolors Synergy Xmas One
Skygazer Brewing Co

 

Poured from a pint can into a thistle style glass. Minimal head, but some lacing. The body of the beer is a reddish purple, somewhat like a cranberry-grape drink, only totally opaque due to milk sugar. The aroma is fruity, of course, with a bit of the plum, and cherry noticed. On the first sip, more of the cranberry flavor reveals itself, followed by a tangy bite of the sourness. There is some effervescence on the tongue for a cleansing mouthfeel. Overall it is a tasty smoothie with some alcohol added for fun. I enjoyed it!

When they wrote the song about sugar plumbs dancing in their heads, they probably were't thinking about a sour ale with plum, milk sugar, cherry and cranberry, but that's how Skygazer interpreted that song.

Their Watercolors Synerg;y series takes Xmas One to a murky and muddy rusty mauve color, pouring densely before crowning with a modest foamy cap. As the nose hovers over the beer the senses of fruit cocktail, wine, cider, citrus and light wafts of earth and must provide waves of fragrance. Once the sour ale splashes against the tongue, a creamy sweetness of taffy, pastry tart, cream candy and fructose gives a malty sweet upstart to the session.

As the individual fruits of cherry, plum and cranberry align on the middle palate, their bold red berry character shines. Underneath the fruit additions lies a supportive tartness of lime, lemon, grapefruit, gooseberry and passionfruit give the juiciness of added fruits a tangier and winier character. All wrapped in an envelope of light cream and vanilla, the late taste is soothing, plump and creamy tart.

Medium-full and certainly bigger bodied for a sour ale, the smoothie sour ale offers enough sourness to to appease traditional sour ale lovers but is fruity enough to attract non-beer fans. The creamy balance offers balance against the sourness and gives the session a light candied character. Finishing with a hint of sourdough and burlap, the session finishes both sweet and tart.

Pours red with a 1" pink head, which dissipates. Light lacing.

Aroma is funky, tart cherry, kind of rotten.

Taste is tart cherries, cranberries, plums.

Full body, a bit of creaminess from lactose. Light carbonation. Tart finish.

First Xmas sour I've had. Decent.