Raspberry Whip Cream Ale

Raspberry Whip Cream Ale by Garage Brewing Co. was judged as a Fruit Beer (29A BJCP 2021) with a base style of Cream Ale (1C).

Raspberry fruit and pith aromas rise to the nose, unmistakably identifying the fruit that was used in this fruit beer. It is pleasant and not harsh, and the mild character of a cream ale serves as good background beer to showcase this fruit addition without distractions. The color is pale copper, clearly influenced by the fruit, and the underlying beer is a straight cream ale with no unexpected malt additions. It is quite clear, and a subtle, white head lingers on the rim of the glass. The flavor is distinctively fruity with a big raspberry flavor and a sweetness that combines to come across much like a cream soda (with raspberry, of course). There is a light woody/pithy character, not uncommon from whole raspberry fruit, which has so many tiny seeds. This gives it an extra, interesting dimension.

Hop bitterness is balanced and indistinctive with no apparent hop flavor. The fruit sweetness and the cream ale base combine to generate a very creamy quality in the beer, almost like an Italian cream soda more than your typical raspberry soda pop. The mouthfeel is medium with a perception of fullness from the fruit sweetness. The pithy quality of the fruit seeds provides a touch of extra bitterness in the finish. Overall, this is a unique and refreshing fruit beer that is very enjoyable, yet very “un-beerlike” in many ways.