Rhinegeist "Bubbles" Rosé Ale

I don't know what to think going in. I mean, rosé  is a kind of wine, but this is the first time I ever saw a beer labeled like this. I mean, I've run into the issue before where something described itself as an ale when it was, in fact, not. If this IS an ale, is it more like a mead than a beer? I guess we'll find out.

True to its name, the beer is a rosé color. When I encounter these odd kinds of ales, I really don't know what to expect, and sometimes that's a good thing. The head unexpectedly is exactly like that of a soda - it sprouts very quickly and dissipates even faster. There isn't even a hint of a chance of lacing, as the head doesn't exist. The aroma is an astringent added to wine. It's not absolutely terrible, but it's not all that inviting. 

First sip is, indeed, very similar to a wine, but with bubbles. It's a particularly fruity wine, and the pears are a very nice addition to the apples to really fill out the beverage. For a wine, it is watery as heck (not being a wine guy, I'm pulling on limited experience). As a beer, it tastes of that particular kind of process that both wine and mead use to make alcohol, but it lacks any significant alcoholic punch. 

Tip-in is moderate carbonation tickle with apples and pears. The middle rises with a stabbing carbonation that surrounds the fruit as the cranberries finally make themselves known. The finish is a tartness that lashes out and then clings to the lips as the fruits fade into the trail-off.

Bottom Line: Not my thing.

1.0/5