Don't wine

This was a surprise freebie from English beer label Curious: a 75cl bottle of Curiouser & Curiouser Chapter 2. It's a collaboration between Curious's parent winery Chapel Down and London microbrewery Brew By Numbers. They've come up with a wine-channelling saison, designed to mimic the German grape Bacchus by using elderflower and grapefruit zest with Hallertau Blanc and Hüll Melon hops. It's a bit of a beast at 7.3% ABV.

Despite the cheery sparkle and my cheeky choice of champagne flutes, it doesn't look like wine in the glass, being a hazy dark yellow colour. The aroma is definitely saison: a husky cereal dryness with a touch of diesel and honeydew melon. I do get a certain buzz of Champagne grape in the flavour, and I suspect that's the Hallertau Blanc's doing. The strong alcohol helps with the effect, and there's an acidic edge which I'm guessing is from the grapefruit but which genuinely does bear a resemblance to that found in a flinty Sauvignon Blanc.

And with all that said I should stop trying to squeeze this into wine-shaped clothes and add that it's also a very well made, hop-forward, strong saison. The raspingly dry grain, boozy fruity esters and tiny sprinkle of white pepper it offers belong to beer and beer alone. And despite the strength it still quenches a thirst in a way wine simply can't.

This was a well thought out and executed idea. One of those beers that expands the parameters of what beer can be without resorting to silly gimmicks. I'm glad I got to try it.