Citrus in hoppy beers. It’s always worked for me. And it seems Reckless are happy to accommodate me and my ilk. This time last year, the brewery put out Grapefruit Pale Ale. A few months before that, it was Hazy Pine Orange XPA.
Blood Orange Pale sort of splits the difference between those two beers.*
Even as you’re pouring it into your glass, fresh orange juice aromas don’t waste any time rushing into your nose holes,** along with a grapefruity edge: the bite, the tang, the je ne sais quoi. For something that smells so juicy, I was surprised to then find the body come through lighter than juice. Carried on a dry body and with low bitterness, the flavour shows up, ships out, and has you ready to go again straight away.
Mick Wüst
* Personally, I’ve always thought blood oranges taste kind of like a cross between a navel orange and a pink grapefruit, so this fit my expectation just fine.
** Someone really ought to come up with a word for “nose holes.”
Published January 31, 2025 2025-01-31 00:00:00