Raspberry Dream
Connecticut Valley Brewing

 

 

16 ounce can into tulip glass; no can dating, but is a recent local release. Pours slightly hazy ruby reddish/pinkish orange color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy light pink head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Dense spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big juicy/tart/tangy red raspberries, fruit skin/seed, lemon, lime, peach, pear, melon, red/green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, wheat, white bread dough, light pepper/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of raspberries, fruity/acidic yeast, and bready malt notes; with big strength. Taste of huge juicy/tart/tangy red raspberries, fruit skin/seed, lemon, lime, peach, pear, melon, red/green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, wheat, white bread dough, light pepper/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tart/sourness, and fruit tang on the finish. Lingering notes of sour/tart/tangy red raspberries, fruit skin/seed, lemon, lime, peach, pear, melon, red/green apple, red grape/wine, hay, straw, grass, wheat, white bread dough, light pepper/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of raspberries, fruity/acidic yeast, and bready malt flavors; with a fantastic malt/tart/sour/tangy balance, and no puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Fairly crisp finishing. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering dour/tart/tang and carbonation. Medium-plus carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/grainy/acidic/tangy, and lightly tannic balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Minimal warming alcohol for 5.5%. Overall this is an outstanding fruited kettle sour. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of raspberries, fruity/acidic yeast, and bready malt flavors; very smooth and fairly crisp/refreshing to drink with the mellowly acidic/tangy/drying finish; great soft feel, and not overly lactic. Awesome balance of huge juicy/jammy raspberries and lacto complexity; with a great clean pale/wheat malt backbone. Mild residual sweetness with crisp dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and impressive style example.

 

A: opaque; dark red in color; 1 finger pink head that receded to a wispy cap; nice lacing;

S: raspberry - somewhat real and somewhat artificial;

T: natural raspberry from start to finish; mild to moderate tartness from the middle through the end;

M: light to medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish;

O: not especially sour, but still nice;