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Michael McGuire's picture

Judge's Review: 82 Rating - Bright Tangerine Sparkling Ale by Devils Backbone Brewing Co.

May, 2020

Bright Tangerine Sparkling Ale

Bright Tangerine Sparkling Ale

Virginia
United States
Bright Tangerine Sparkling Ale, Devils Backbone Brewing Co.
Description 

Dry. Tangerine. Effervescent. These words don’t really pop in your head when you think of beer, but then again, there’s nothing quite like Bright Tangerine Sparkling Ale. This brew is low calorie, gluten removed, with a dry and bubbly finish. The kicker is we load it up with heaps of natural tangerine flavor, making it a little brighter than your average ale!

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
4.8%
IBUs: 
21
Malts: 
Pilsner, Pale Wheat, Acidulated Malt
Hops: 
Amarillo

 

 


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Judges Rating: 
82
Aroma: 
21 / 24
Appearance: 
5 / 6
Flavor: 
34 / 40
Mouthfeel: 
7 / 10
Overall Impression: 
15 / 20

Bright Tangerine Sparkling Ale by Devils Backbone Brewing Co. is a blonde ale brewed with tangerines. It was judged as a Fruit Beer (BJCP sub-style 29A). It poured mostly clear and golden into the glass where it set up with a thin white quickly dissipating head. Its aroma was dominated by tangerine and a pronounced sweetness up front followed by a lesser citrus tartness, with no other secondary aromas, including basic beer notes from malts and hops, evident.  The initial and lasting flavor too was dominated by the tangerine, easily distinguished from oranges and similar citrus fruits, with hops presumably used for bittering only rather than flavor. The mouthfeel included a fuller body than found in most fruit beers, modest carbonation especially for a sparkling ale, no noticeable alcohol strength, and a fruity sweetness in the finish which bordered on cloying for lack of balance from citric tartness and/or hops.  The body and carbonation and finish detracted from an expectation of high drinkability based on the label description.  This reviewer is left to wonder how much the choice of tangerine as the dominant or sole fruit in this brew, combined with the absence of typical brewing flavors from various hops and malts, might restrict its appeal to many beer drinkers seeking more balance in their beer than was evident here.