The Bonsai Project MI
Short's Brewing Company

 

 

 

12 fl. oz can
Served in a pint glass

This beer pours a pale yellow color with a little haze. It is topped with a couple inches of eggshell head that leaves decent lacing.

The aroma is bisuity and lemony.

It starts out with bready. I get some citrus through the middle and into the finish. I get a slightly bitter flavor in the finish. The finish is dry.

Medium to light bodied with a dry mouthfeel

This beer is not great. I am glad I bought a single rather than the entire mix sixer.

A - Light, bright yellowish body, rocky white head on the pour, definite lacing.

S - Herbal medicinal notes, a bit of spice, and an odd woodiness. Not necessarily inviting. But also a citrus note, as well.

T - An odd combination, bright and fruity, with a core that returns to the wood and medicinal nose, and a slightly tart and bitter finish.

M - Moderately brisk and sharp, but a lingering finish.

O - Mixed with OH, this is a fine experience. This is the lesser half alone, with decent notes, but with a woody hit and herbal core that is not necessarily satisfying until mirrored with the Ohio fruit hit.

 

 

Poured from can to nonic pint glass. Semi-clear and dark straw color. Some aromas of lemon, citrus, and spice. Lots of Mineral, too. Flavor is muddled, tonic water tang and anise, mineral and lime. Prickly carbonation.

The OH MI layering is marginally better. Raspberry and peach notes almost but not quite overtake MIs tonic and black licorice. The feel is odd, chalky. 3.4 for the OH MI layering.

A light fruit flavor and a thin mouth feel. No single fruit flavor stands out so if they intended a balanced blend they succeeded. Not much in smell. It does go down easily, so nice for a hot day.

 

 

 

12 ounce can into pint glass, canned on 11/8/2018. Pours slightly hazy medium golden yellow color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice dense soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of lemon, lime, orange juice/zest, lemongrass, pear, red apple, cinnamon, coriander, peppercorn, clove, allspice, wood, wheat, cracker, white bread, herbal, floral, and yeast earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus juice/zest, spices, pale/wheat malts, and light fruity yeast notes; with solid strength. Taste of big lemon, lime, orange juice/zest, lemongrass, pear, red apple, cinnamon, coriander, peppercorn, clove, allspice, wood, wheat, cracker, white bread, herbal, floral, and yeast earthiness. Light herbal, floral, grassy bitterness; pepper spiciness; and slight fruit tang/tartness on the finish. Lingering notes of lemon, lime, orange juice/zest, lemongrass, pear, red apple, cinnamon, coriander, peppercorn, clove, allspice, wood, wheat, cracker, white bread, herbal, floral, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus juice/zest, spices, pale/wheat malts, and light fruity yeast flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Fairly crisp/clean finishing. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spiciness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, fairly sticky, and slightly acidic mouthfeel that is fantastic. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5.4%. Overall this is a great blonde ale! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus juice/zest, spices, pale/wheat malts, and light fruity yeast flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink with the mildly bitter/spicy/drying finish. Very flavorful and not watery for the ABV. Pretty much perfectly balanced between citrus juice/zest, spices, and pale/wheat malts; with mild fruity yeast in the background. A very enjoyable offering, and awesome experimental style example as expected.