Southern Grist Loud Whisper Pale Ale

Is it wrong that I now think of any beer below 6.5% ABV as kind of quaint and pedestrian? Well, no small brewery in Nashville should be considered pedestrian. I've run into so many that are really outstanding that above average is the new norm. Does that mean the average raises? I'm not here to do math, so no.

The pale yellow beer is misty and has a nice, thick white head that leaves more lacing than you might expect, but it's not like IPA-level lacing. The aroma is dank citrus and wheat. I expected a bit of pine, but I really can't smell much past the citrus and faint grains. Maybe wheat was the wrong word, and I should stick with grains - it's definitely a grainy smell, but when you get right down to it, is there a big difference between wheat smell and barley smell?

First sip is lemon zest with oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit backing it up. The grains assert as wheat (kind of disappointing after my whole "wheat v barley" tangent). It's a simple taste, but it's definitely got a personality all its own, and it's a good one.

Tip-in is more grains than citrus, but the citrus is there, sitting on a sizzling carbonation. The middle is lemons, tangerines, and grapefruit; no oranges, strangely. The grains are heavy here, and this beer is really different in a swig than in a sip. The finish is a hit of bitterness, carbonation burn, and light spices.

Bottom Line: It's a very solid pale ale.

3.25/5