The word fruity gets bandied around the beer world a lot as a general descriptor of beers but, boy oh boy, not all fruity beers are the same. Here are three "fruity" beers with very distinct personalities.
For a summer ale that’s been infused with the juice from a full pallet of watermelons (this sounds it would’ve been a real pain to collect), What A Melon! handles subtlety and refreshment with finesse. The clear and sweet melony aroma is balanced out with a hint of tartness, a touch of dryness, and an oomph of bitterness.
Then we move onto Hoppsy Mozy (which I think we’ll all agree is a crazy name), a nitro IPA filled with all the Mosaic hops you could ever hope for. No fruit’s been added to this one, but it sure doesn’t need any: sweet pineapples are exploding out into the air from the moment you crack open a can. When you get to sipping, the whole experience becomes like drinking a pineapple smoothie through a straw, as the nitro and lactose work together to make this silky beer so thick it gets stuck between your teeth.
Then along comes Señor Spicy, the mysterious stranger who shows up in town and causes a stir straight away. Like Clint Eastwood in a poncho, this beer is rugged and impressive and dangerous all at the same time. A spritz of fresh orange cuts across the palate like the sheriff’s stallion across the desert; a sprinkle of Murray River pink salt ricochets around the mouth before settling in the sand; and a kilo of bird’s eye chillies bring a scratchy tingle to the back of your throat like you’ve just swallowed a spur, brushed past a cactus, and are now feeling the heat of the Mexican sun bringing beads of sweat to your upper lip.
Mick Wust
Published May 30, 2019 2019-05-30 00:00:00
