Mouse Rock
Wild Fields Brewhouse

Pours a brilliant, rich, slightly cloudy gold, with a toads-eye head that quickly collapses down to nearly nothing. Bubbles race up from the bottom, but quickly exhaust themselves; before long, the beer appears almost entirely still.

The aroma jumps from the glass as soon as the can is poured -- sticky, sap-laden pine needles, guava, banana, and a hint of chicle. While ebullient, it presents with a very tight, focused profile.

Taste is far softer than the aroma, with mango, more guava, starfruit -- really, reminicient of canned fruit salad. Over the tongue, it becomes sugary sweet, before fading into a watery finish. The taste seems to be entirely missing the bitter, drying notes promised by the nose, leaving it flabby and unbalanced.

The mouthfeel is decent at first, with firm carbonation. However, it dies a quick death in the glass as I continue to drink. The body overall seems far thinner and lighter than it should be.

This seemed so promising at first, but then fell far short. Unfortunately, the thin body, carbonation issues, and unbalanced sweetness are fatal flaws. The brewers need to amp up the dextrine and give folks some real body -- and bitterness -- to sink their teeth into. There's potential here, which is perhaps why my critique is so pointed. But in this incarnation, I can't recommend it.