Bearded Iris Acid Test Pale Ale

Bearded Iris started off very, very strong, but they have kind of petered out to the middle-of-the-range beers at this point. All told, I'm still generally happy with their beers, and I would gladly try a new one - which is what I'm doing, so I guess that's proof that I'm not lying.

Another yellow-orange juice colored and textured beer from Bearded Iris. The head took some coaxing just to get this little bit, but it sticks to the sides very well. The aroma is fruit, but it is more like a citrus spritzer - all sting on the nose and very little meat to the fruits.

First sip is - just as the name suggests - a fairly acidic citrus going on. Grapefruit jumps out and hits me in the face, and I usually actually eat grapefruit with quite a bit of sugar, so this could use something to seriously cut the bite. Still, a sip is looking through a keyhole through a spyglass through a monocle. Let's gulp!

Tip-in is actually not that acidic. Instead, it's bright citrus with a very mild bread malt. The middle is also not acidic - which seriously confuses me; it's a very nice blend of citrus fruits and some tropical fruits with even a touch of pine. The malt base is still here, but it is definitely being overshadowed. The finish is where the bite of acid and bitterness clamps down and does not let go, even during the trail-off.

Bottom Line: Rough around the edges, but drinkable.

2.75/5