Hap and Harry's "Dogwood" White Ale

I have been in Tennessee for over a decade now, and the dirty little secret is that I don't like the smell of dogwood trees. Supposedly, this ale will complement the season in which dogwood trees bloom, and it shouldn't actually contain any dogwood flower or taste. I had my fill of beers trying to integrate flowers into their mixture whenever I formally declared Magic Hat dead to me. I don't need to revisit that ever again.

There is a very slight haze to the pale yellow beverage with a moderate head that boils down to leave an almost completely naked top to the beer with a comparatively resilient ring around the sides of the glass. Many points of nucleation are sending bubbles up to the surface to die, but die they do. The aroma is very slight lemons on top of impressive wheat grains. I know that white ales are distinct from other kinds of wheat ales (or, rather, a wit), but I'm not sure that my palate is enough to discern the difference. As near as I can tell, this is a wit from the smell, and it smells very good.

First sip is sweet with gentle flowers and sweet honey. It is a very easy-going beverage, and I would gladly kick back and drink a few of these with friends on the deck on a warm summer night. It is light enough to be not overbearing, but it has enough flavor to stand on its own. The 5.2% ABV is just enough to remind you that beer has alcohol in it, but it's not enough to get you sloshed in a hurry. So, if I'm just going to sip, I would drink this all night. But here, we swig.

Tip-in is mild carbonation under airy honey and gentle flowers. The middle ratchets the carbonation up quite a bit as the wheat hits harder for a solid center surrounded by that sweet honey and flowers. The finish goes a little too far in the direction of flowers as they overcome the sweetness and manage to cling on to the tongue for the trail off.

Bottom Line: Sipping is better.

2.75/5