As if on cue, my friends at Smuttynose provided the perfect response to my pleas for a seasonal brew that involved risk taking: Hanami Ale.
It's another snowy night, and I'm longing both for spring and for the mild winters of Tokyo, where I lived for almost ten years.
In Tokyo, the hanami season is wonderful. The whole city gathers together under the beautiful cherry trees. There is eating, drinking, merriment, and joy. It's the single best holiday (and I guess it's not a formal holiday) I've experienced since I was ten years old and still believed in Santa Claus.
Here was a beer that combined the vision of springtime with the joy of hanami. And, it was brewed within my locavore radius by a brewery I respect for the quality of the product. A beer that combined those qualities with some risk-taking and experimentation--perfect! Kampaii!
The problem: the beer sucks. Weak, vinegary, sicky, cherry, flat, whiney flavor are descriptive words that come to mind.
I switched to wine (a nice, moderately priced California Cab) and found it to be a significant upgrade.
2 comments:
I asked the Beer Locavore to bring one of these in for me for my own personal evaluation which he gladly obliged. I am slightly embarrassed to say that I thought the label on the beer was quite cute. This beverage looked like it would be a tasty treat, given that it was brewed with cherry juice and other natural flavors. I would have consumed it immediately if not for the annoyance of something known as my day job.
I promptly placed it in the refrigerator when I got home and frankly forgot about it. However, right around 9pm when I went scavenging for a snack in my kitchen, my eyes caught this beverage conveniently sitting between the mustard and pickles on the top shelf. I really felt that this beverage could satisfy my appetite and needs.
Upon opening the bottle, rather than being greeted by a nice cherry aroma, I was somewhat surprised to encounter a stench which I could only describe as a skunky body odor. The first couple of swigs were not very pleasant, but I figured I just needed to get acclimated to the beer and it would get better. However, as I continued onward for the next few ounces, I started to find myself exhibiting painful facial expressions. About halfway through the bottle I considered dumping it in my sink, but I did not want to risk damage to my septic system. If I was indeed going to finish this beverage, I decided that I needed to grab a bowl of salty nacho chips for motivation. I did struggle for what seemed an eternity through the rest of the beer, minus an ounce or two at the bottom.
I honestly must say this was one of the least drinkable beverages I have had in a long time. The last time I struggled this badly with a beverage was several years ago when a friend and I decided to revisit a leftover keg from a prior week party which had the good fortune of sitting directly out in the hot August sun all week. Even then, I somehow managed to have three or four of the skunky flat tasteless beverages and achieve a somewhat decent buzz.
I can not fathom that the brewmaster actually intended for this beverage to taste the way it did. It gives me hope that something must have gone awry from when the beverage was brewed to its ultimate destination. Perhaps somehow a small rodent crawled into the bottle, defecated, and died? This issue begs for more in depth research, of which I am not willing to partake in at this time.
Thanks, Snoop Dog, for your comments on this beer. Your evaluation is very descriptive and will be useful to our many loyal readers.
As a side note, I too, suffer from the annoyance of a "day job". Unfortunately, without it, my beer options would be severely limited.
My only concern--and that's too strong a word--with your review is that it feels a bit like you may have been holding back on your true feelings about the beer. Comparisons with rodent defecation, for example, could leave the reader guessing about the degree to which you enjoyed the beer.
Good decision and intestinal fortitude (literally) by the way in drinking it, rather than dumping down the sink. Your septic system thanks you for it.
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