Yazoo is a local Nashville brewer who has brewed perfectly tolerable, yet unremarkable beers. I understand that this is a limited edition beer, and I don't know if that means that it's experimental and might be terrible or that it's the best that the brewmaster can do, and he has convinced the bosses to let him release a limited run of it. Let's find out.
The color is a semi-cloudy deep golden amber. The head is awful frothy. I don't mean that it's awful, but that it's very frothy. It sticks to the sides like one of those rubber sticky frogs that slowly cralws down a wall when you throw them. The aroma is floral hops and spices with a hint of citrus and very, very light malt that smells of bread.
First sip is really different that what I expected. It's sour at first, but then it turns into something else. I'm not sure what that something is right off the bat, but it's not unpleasant. I think this tastes like a wheat beer rather than an ale. I don't think I tasted any hops in the simple sip at all; it's sweet and caramel with bread and some spices after that initial sour taste. A sip is unfair for a beer that is complex and multifaceted, so I will honor the brewmaster who worked tirelessly on this by drinking like Norm from Cheers.
Tip-in is floral and pine hops with a hint of a metallic taste, some citrus, the thin veneer of flour from the top of a dinner roll, and a light carbonation. As the middle rolls on through, the bready malt takes hold very firmly with a sweet honey glaze and the citrus still lingering underneath with a tanginess whiping around the tip of the tongue and lips. The finish rises with a shot of bitterness that cruises down the gullet while the suggestion of a hop is shown to the tastebuds before being ripped away and replaced with a few more breadcrumbs.
Bottom Line: It's the best Yazoo beer I've had. It's complex and interesting from the get-go. I will have another.
3.75/5