Festina Pêche
by Paul Arthur on Jul.01, 2009, under ale, beer, berliner weisse, fruit beer, sour beer
Background: Dogfish Head describe this as a “neo-Berliner Weisse” and make an especial point of noting that “extreme beers don’t have to be extremely boozy.” Nonetheless, at 4.5% ABV this is on the boozy side for a Berliner Weisse, which is usually a small beer weighing in between 2.8 and 3.8% ABV. Another departure from tradition is the inclusion of peaches in the beer itself; while many like their BW served with a dash of flavoured syrup to cut the tartness (resulting from the action of the acid-producing bacterium Lactobacillus delbruckii during the fermentation process), this is done at serving time. If you dislike the yeast haze, a careful decanting should avoid stirring up the lees in the bottle.
Nose: Tart and lemony, with a bit of stone fruit and the barest hint of yeast.
Taste: Nice and tart, around the level of good lemonade. Peach, green apple, and lemon on a light, wheaty malt background fade into a puckering finish. Effervescent carbonation and a dry mouthfeel.
Overall: Very refreshing, with the peach quite restrained and natural tasting. Serve lightly chilled on a sweaty summer evening.
