When I first tasted this beer, my immediate reaction was every single catchphrase from a TV show in the 80s and 90s.
“Wowsers!” “Ay caramba!” Tim Allen grunt from Home Improvement
A Currant State of Infusion lashes out at your senses from all quarters. It looks like red wine with bloody foam on top, and the very first sniff has you wondering what you’re smelling. Tart berry jam and sleek cold brew coffee intermingle in a way that’s intriguing on the nose and invigorating in the mouth.
The brewers used Ethiopian coffee recommended by the good folk at Campos in the brew; since Ethiopian coffee is known for its fruity, acidic character, it was a fine choice to pair with blackcurrants in a sour beer. The darker notes of the coffee match with the roasted malts, giving the richness and sharpness of espresso crema with very little of the bitterness. In contrast to this, the berry notes of the coffee tie in with the more exuberant tartness of the currants to give your tastebuds a slap. It’s not dissimilar to the experience of eating a chocolate coated cherry, but with coffee instead of chocolate, and with more face-scrunching.
To be clear, the combo does work. It’s confusing but well balanced, like two octopuses on a seesaw.
This beer was first brewed for GABS in 2017, and in a year in which GABS has been cancelled - sigh - it’s nice to have a beer that tastes like GABS.
Mick Wust
Published September 1, 2020 2020-09-01 00:00:00
