24 January 2024

From the grape state of California

A random pick from the bargain fridge in Stephen Street News today. Well, for a very craft definition of bargain, at €6.99 for a 355ml can. It's from California brewery The Bruery, part of their Terreux barrel-ageing program, and called Spritz This! Essentially it's a grape ale, barrel-aged and with Syrah grapes pressed in. This is the 2021 edition. The ABV is 7.2% and it's a deep and luscious scarlet colour.

There's a crackle as the head fades out and an aroma of blackcurrant, reminding me somewhat of the result of a cheap homebrew wine kit I made some years ago. It's very thin, and prickly on the palate, more than what I would call spritz. The acidity (3.4/9.0g/L of lactic, the can tells us helpfully) is a little shocking and difficult at first. I adapted to it quite quickly, I'm happy to say, and after a minute there's a much more subtle mix of blackberry, raspberry and cherry, mixed in with white pepper spicing from the oak and a savoury cola herbal thing.

While I liked it, I would have preferred if the bugs-and-barrels features were more prominent. Instead, despite the sourness, it's still a bit syrupy or jammy. I've had plenty better versions of the same thing.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:53 am

    Nine grams per litre I could see, but what's the 3.4/?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely no clue. You can see the full label here if you want to try and figure it out: https://drive.usercontent.google.com/download?id=1IhgXEh2KW9TdIEgvyCGpeQA8mr771AFz

      Delete
  2. Anonymous12:17 pm

    Ph =3. 4

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ahh. This is what happens when you let graphic designers mess with established scientific notation.

      Delete