Judge’s Review: 79 Rating – Pina Colada Cream Ale by Garage Brewing Co.

Fruit Beer | Seasonal | USA

By John C. Tull

Judges Rating: 79
Aroma: 18
Appearance: 5
Flavor: 33
Mouthfeel: 8
Overall Impression: 15

Pina Colada Cream Ale by Garage Brewing Co. was judged as a Fruit Beer (29A BJCP 2021) with a base style of Cream Ale (1C). The aroma is unmistakably piña colada-inspired: coconut and pineapple are obvious in the nose. It really does smell like a piña colada, or, if you are of a certain generation, like suntan oil. The fruit aromatics give you the impression that it is going to be sweet (or maybe oily). The color is pale gold with a touch of chill haze. A very fine off-white head settles just on the edge of the glass as bubbles effervesce to the surface.
The flavor follows the aroma closely with coconut, toasted perhaps, and pineapple coming through in spades. The underlying cream ale has restrained malt, a creamy character and a restrained use of hops that is appropriately bitter, but with no distinguishable flavors. The mouthfeel is slightly cloying from the fruit sweetness that is evident. Carbonation provides some balance with a touch of carbonic bite. Overall, this beer does a wonderful job of delivering the qualities of a piña colada in beer format. For me, I find the flavors to be too intense, though it might serve quite well with some spicy Thai curry, perhaps a pineapple curry.