Red Jacket Christmas Berry Wheat Ale

On tap at the brewpub. Cloudy, reddish caramel colored pour with a creamy serving of well sustaining beige head. Enticing aromas of fresh raspberries and caramel malts waft from the glass, softened by a touch of tart fall apples. A bit of subtle vanilla softens up the edges a bit. Full bodied, yet champagne-like mouthfeel. Fantastically fruity - semi-tart flavors of raspberries, cherries, apples, and thimbleberries combine to create a mysterious flavor contribution. The tartness of the fruit works well with the malt and hop construction - the caramelization of the malts is softened nicely by the creamy wheat characters, giving it a complimentary dry complex pitty woodiness highlighted by the cherry notes. At the same time, a bit of herbal hop bitterness accents the raspberry and thimbleberry dimensions, providing an earthy quality to the berries and preventing them from becoming sugary. Great complexity and usage of fruit in a dry, tart way without creeping into the domain of wild brews or sugary messes. I’d love to try the base beer. Fabulous seasonal offering!

On tap at the brewpub. Light tangy mid-fruit nose, with spritzy apple cider, raspberry sauce, and pear glaze. Wafting, sweet and seductive. Distinct. Pours beautifully, really. A deep ruddy amber-orange, with murky middle and mingling of all colors. Fringes hue lighter. Silky lace of henna cream. Flavor continues with almost lambic-like sourness, tangy, bright and wheat. Lots of chewiness and oils from a build of 70% wheat. Lots of bright fruit notes from freshly crushed raspberries and thimbleberries and nice rest on cherries. Light sour apple sneaks in. Smack draws long with reminsence of grassy apple skins. A real bold earth smack, with hints of wildness and unique sugars. Definitely an element of fermented fruit, which builds character and depth. Amazing for a fruit beer, even drawing near to those hallowed raspberry caramels of the top fruit beer in the world.