Judge’s Review: 75 Rating – Raspberry Tart Cream Ale by Garage Brewing Co.

Fruit Beer | Seasonal | USA

By Richard Wong

Judges Rating: 75
Aroma: 20
Appearance: 6
Flavor: 32
Mouthfeel: 7
Overall Impression: 10

Raspberry Tart Cream Ale by Garage Brewing Co. was judged as Style 29A (Fruit Beer) according to the 2021 BJCP Guidelines. The pour revealed a hazy, copper-colored hue. This beer featured very light carbonation with a head that dissipated quickly. The aroma had a very strong raspberry flavor reminiscent of a soda. The initial taste supported that initial impression. I didn’t get any malt nor hop flavors up-front (base beer is a cream ale), as the raspberry flavors were extremely dominant. This beer was overwhelmingly sweet, which was, again, reminiscent of soda. It simply didn’t taste like a beer. The beer label listed this as a “raspberry tart,” but that is a misnomer. There is no tart or sour elements in this beer at all. It was just pure sweetness to the point that it was too sweet and ended up being syrupy. A fruit beer is nice if it features a balance of subtle fruit flavors along with flavors associated with beer (malt and hops). The beer label suggests this beer features “slightly sweet raspberry with the perfect complement of tartness you’d expect.” Sadly, after tasting, I have to disagree with that evaluation. The body and mouthfeel was light and nearly flat. The aftertaste was not positive. Overall, it was simply too sweet.