Arches Brewing Brewer Bradford Shoemaker Talks Smooth Criminal

We spoke with Arches Brewing Brewer Bradford Shoemaker about Smooth Criminal.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This was my recipe.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The use of Cara Cara Orange in this beer is unique because, in addition to the familiar tart and sweet citrus you get with typical naval oranges, this tropical variety brings hints of raspberry, cranberry and rose. This helps promote red berry notes since the flavor of fresh strawberry tends to be pretty subtle.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
The namesake for this beer is the song of the same name. We chose to serve this beer on nitro to further promote the smooth texture and association with the familiar strawberry-orange breakfast smoothie.

BC: Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Many of our patrons have told us that this is the first sour that they’ve had served on nitro, but since we released this beer, we’ve noticed this becoming a bit of a trend.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
This is a perfect brunch beer served with an omelet or Eggs Benedict.

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