Sterling
Living Waters Brewing

 

 

 

Month-old can poured into a "Be Hoppy" glass.

Pale gold body, fully opaque except at the edges, but only a moderate haze. Zero turbidity or murk. Multiple fingers of big, soapy head, with lots of different off-white bubbles that, as they collapse, provides a rocky, latte cap. Solid lacing down the glass. The body isn't particularly noteworthy but the head is stellar.

Mild nose, but quite lovely. Definitely on the juicy side, but I get a nice balance of East and West Coast influences. Apricot, navel orange, green grape, grapefruit, a touch of sweet tropical fruit juice, pine, berry, green tea, light dankness, and crackery malt. Subdued, but a really fantastic combination of notes.

Taste follows, but I get more West Coast citrus (pithy grapefruit, lemon/lime) and stone fruit (apricot and peach) than tropical fruit. Definitely a little mango, and the green grape shines through again. But this one is interesting in that I'm initially hit with the some overripe, juicy fruit sweetness, but that's quickly overtaken by pithy, bitter citrus rind. Finishes fairly dry given the start (and relative to most hazies), though there is a pleasant lingering fruit sweetness that balances the bitterness at least a little. Kind of a ruby red grapefruit vibe, with perhaps just a dab of sugar. Fairly grassy and herbal, but not really green or starchy. The after effect of each sip is definitely grapefruit juice-esque, with the pithiness drawing you in for another sip. Really quite nice.

Soft feel, medium-light but nicely carbonated. Fits the category, but on the lighter, less viscous side. This beer absolutely coats the teeth in citrus pith.

Very consistent drinking experience across the board -- not other-worldly, but every component is outstanding. And interestingly, after a few more samplings I realized that this is the most Tree House-esque beer I’ve had that isn’t from MA.