It's a sign of how tastes have been changing apace in recent years that it wasn't long after Red Bluff Brewers started brewing in Lakes Entrance that they tested out fruited sours on their early customers. And then, having seen how they were received, that such beers became regular guests on their taps and in their bottles.
When summer 2021/22 rolled around, and those holidaymakers not stuck in iso made their way to Gippsland, there was another flavour awaiting them, with past favourites such as the summer dessert-like Blush & Desire Strawberry Gose joined by Pine Passion.
The label declares the beer a "vanilla cream sour", which sounds like it’s going to be at the richer, pastry end of the spectrum, yet the tartness of the passionfruit and tang of the pineapple ensure its much more summer friendly and sparkly on the palate than that. Indeed, if it was a serving of trifle made with the same ingredients, it would be a scoop carved from under the whipped vanilla cream topping and dolloped into a bowl for someone who prefers the jelly and fruit below.
James Smith
Published February 2, 2022 2022-02-02 00:00:00