We're doing a new review segment here at DLH.net. I'm a big craft beer drinker, so I'm always on the lookout for my new favorite beer.
This week, I've found it in Modern Times Fruitlands Sour Gose out of San Diego, CA.
Now, I'm a sucker for sours, but they are expensive and usually it's tough to find a new one without breaking the bank. I'm pleased to tell you that this gose is good. Goses (pronounced "go-zah") are easy to screw up, especially when you throw fruit into the mix, but this one is perfectly balanced. It's rather inexpensive (usually around $10 for a four pack of pint cans), and is immensely crushable, especially in the hot weather. Luckily, this delicious nectar is under 5% ABV (alcohol by volume), so you can drink a few without getting totally looped.
The Nose
A strong, fruity aroma, with the passionfruit leading the pack here. Lots of tropical scents, from guava to passionfruit, the smell is crisp and enticing.
The Color
Hazy, glowing orange, but in a dull and restrained way, with a little bright white head.
The Body & Flavor
The tart saltiness hits you right away, and it is good. Following up the tartness, and really riding all the way through is a mild guava forward sweetness, and then the rest of the tropical fruit hits. Definitely passionfruit, maybe even a little pineapple, with the salt proving a nice contrast on the tongue. It's not so sour that it puckers your mouth, but you absolutely know that this bad boy is a sour gose. The fruit is a welcome friend, not some asshole who has been on your couch and just won't take the hint and leave. Unlike a lot of fruit-forward beers that try to do too much, the blend of tropical fruits is perfect.
If you come across this goodness, take a $10 (ish) gamble and bring some home. If you don't like it, I'll buy the other three off of you.
The official description is as follows:
"Fruitlands is tart, fruity, & frighteningly delicious. The sour, salty base beer lays down the funky refreshment, while a heavy dose of passion fruit and guava turns the whole thing into a wall-to-wall tropical fruit fiesta. It’s a marvelous mix of elements that collides with your mouth like a fruit-filled asteroid of flavor traveling at the supersonic speed of party."
I'm inclined to agree. Pick this deliciousness up wherever you can find craft beers, or check out their website here to see where you can get yourself a couple cans.
Fruit Varietals: Passion, Guava
Malt Varietals: Pilsner, Malted Wheat
ABV: 4.80
Final Gravity: 1.005