With an updated core range and schmick-looking cans oozing with brand promise now out and about, Sauce have launched their first new-look limited releases, taking aim at opposite ends of the beer spectrum. According to head brewer Simon, the plan is to always have one sour and one dark limited release, ideally changing with the seasons.
On the sour end, we have the Mandarin Wild Sour Ale, which pours pulpy with a seafoam head on top of a beer reminiscent of a certain orange-coloured citrus fruit. The aroma is undeniable, like the produce section with a bit of fear that you might get citrus sprayed in your eye by a playground prankster. The sour notes are on the lighter end in this surprisingly complex beer that has the air of a Belgian blonde or a witbier via a blend of three farmhouse/sour yeast strains. The natural sweetness of the mandarins make this one fun and approachable with enough depth to please the Untappd addict.
Turning to the dark side (write your own damn Star Wars reference) we have the Dark Choc Porter: a bit of a classic style from the earlier years of modern craft beer. It pours like you’d expect (dark with a little light brown head) and smells of repressed drunken memories of Dublin, with a hint of Easter. Velvety smooth on the tongue, roasted barley and cacao nibs combine to create an intense and rich sipper with a dark chocolate bitterness to finish. Impressively, this beer is not loaded with any sweetening adjuncts such as lactose, or indeed overt alcohol (it's just 5.5 percent ABV) yet still manages to settle in your tongue, cheeks and jowls to ensure the experience is well remembered.
Benedict Kennedy-Cox
Published March 31, 2023 2023-03-31 00:00:00
