.jpg)
I genuinely didn't even see the Southern Grist label on this can, despite the fact that it's the only white-and-silver thing on the front. Instead, my eye was simply drawn to the beer's name, Mixed Rhymes, and the fact that they call out exactly which hops they use. I really think this should be something all breweries do; they should let me know what hops they use in their beer so that I can be prepared for the taste sensation that might come with it. Likewise, I might avoid beers that use hops I don't particularly care for. In this case, though, I recognize two of the three, and I'm a fan of those two. Will the third one spoil the whole deal? I suspect there's more to this beer than just the three hops, but we'll see.
This beer is cloudy as hell. The last beer I remember drinking claimed to be hazy, and this beer would put it to shame. The light yellow beer has an orange tint to it, almost making it look like the skin of a peach. I was afraid there would be too much head to fit the entire can's contents in the glass for the picture, but a gentle pour was rewarded. There will be a little bit of lacing, and the minuscule white bubbles leave a small yet confident island in the center of the beer. The aroma is so thick that I don't really need to get close to smell the citrus deliciousness with a little bit of tropical fruit. I immediately want to drink this beer, and the good news is that I'm allowed to. I'm an adult.
The first sip is smooth and solid, making me question why other breweries produce things that aren't good. If you can produce something this good, why not do it all the time? That's right, I'm calling it at the first sip. This beer is tremendous right from the get-go. They would seriously have to screw something up for this not to get a perfect score, but not every beer is intended to be swigged. As a result, this may not go as well as planned.
The tip-in brings a very gentle carbonation sizzle with a thick cracker malt surrounded by grapefruit, oranges, nectarines, and maybe a few other delicious fruits. The middle of the swig is rewarding, with those flavors becoming sweet and highlighting the floral nature of the hops as well as the delicious citrus. The finish turns slightly bitter, and that provides a welcome counterbalance to the sweetness as fruit peels settle in for the trail-off.
Bottom Line: That is a solid damn beer.
4.75/5
