Piñata
Wellington Brewery

 

473 ml can served cool into a pint glass. Part of Wellington's latest mixed pack. Canned March 16, 2020.

Appearance - Rather hazy rich golden brew with a little sediment floating around in the glass. Capped with a finger plus of tight white head with moderate staying power.

Smell - Lots of ginger with a healthy dose of lemon too. Nuanced stone fruit blended in.

Taste - lemon and gingery with a creamy maybe yogurt like quality backing things up. Peach is subtly interspersed here. Some sourness but not overkill and mingles nicely with the flavors.

Mouthfeel - Medium body with a more voluptuous and creamy feel. Carbonation is expressive and crisp and the finish is reasonably dry.

Overall - An interesting summer creation with ginger featuring prominently. Not something I'd routinely drink, but in a pinch this is a very fine a refreshing brew. Worth a shot and good enough addition to the mixed pack.

473 mL can from the LCBO; one of four beers included in Wellington's Mix Pack Vol 8, packaged Mar 16 2020 and served at cellar temperature. Described as a (lacto) kettle sour with peach and ginger.

Pours a very hazy, pale straw yellow colour, generating nearly one finger of soapy, foamy white head that holds together for several minutes. A tight collar of creamy froth sticks around considerably longer, encircling a smooth, paper thin cap; minimal lace, looks fine. The ginger pops on the nose, imparting a pleasant spiciness that works well alongside the lemon, yogurt and subtle peach notes; beyond that there isn't much else, save for a touch of gritty wheat graininess.

Not bad at all - this one definitely shows potential as a summer patio staple. The backdrop consists of lactic acid sharpness, lemon yogurt and a gritty, grainy wheat malt sweetness; meanwhile, subtle hints of peach flesh intermingle with a gentle candied ginger spiciness that fades into a lemony aftertaste. Light in body, with gentle carbonation that allows for a relatively soft, smooth texture; it's alright, but I feel as if a bit more 'bite' from the carb typically helps out a ginger beer. Either way, this was super easy to drink, and pretty refreshing (in spite of the fact that I didn't chill it beforehand).

Final Grade: 3.76, eking out a B+. Wellington's Piñata is unique, I'll give it that, but I feel as if this might be one of those 'love it or hate it' kind of beers. If you really like ginger beers and kettle sours, then this will be right up your alley. On the other hand, if you're not a huge fan of one (or both) of those broad styles of beer, then chances are that this will leave you wanting. Personally, I liked this enough to pick it up as a single, largely because the ginger beer selection in my neck of the woods is paltry even at the best of times.