We went out to dinner out tonight, and when we came home, I went out and picked some of my homegrown hops. After spending time picking hops, I like to grab a beer to remind myself of why I spend the time picking them. However, it was pretty hot outside, so I decided to grab something a little lighter and not-so-hoppy. This beer was given to me several months ago by my friend Jim after his trip to Wisconsin last year.
Location: Poured into a Gordon Biersch, tall curved glass at my home in Bloomington, IL.
Numbers: Nothing was indicated on the bottle, so ABV and calories aren’t known.
Appearance & Aroma: It was amber in color with a reddish tint, with some surprising clarity. There was absolutely no head – which I found surprising for a wheat beer – and there was just a ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass. There’s a bright, sweet cherry aroma that seems a bit candy-like and artificial.
Taste & Feel: The body is very light and the mouthfeel is crisp. There’s a bit of a bready-yeasty pale maltiness up front, followed by a light crispness that transitions into the finish. The finish is a dark cherry flavor, which lasts for a brief time in the aftertaste, along with a bit of wheatiness.
Food Pairing: With the dark cherry flavors, I immediately though that this beer would go nicely with some chocolate, or a chocolate dessert. I think it could also go OK with some BBQ, but with the cherry, it’s hard for me to think of this with anything but dessert.
Overall Impression: With the label art, I wasn’t expecting much, but it was a bit better than I expected. It was a bit obvious the cherry flavoring was artificial, and it seemed to lack the head and creaminess I usually expect from a wheat beer. However, the flavors were light, and it was very drinkable. Overall, it lacked some of the character it should have had, but it was light and drinkable and nice on this hot day.
My Rating: 
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