S.Y.C. Brewing Co ¡Salud! American Pale Wheat Ale at 4.3% ABV (C$4.10 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 26-Jun-2019, acquired 16-Jul-2019, reviewed 23-Jul-2019)
Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pineapple, coconut, oranges, wheat. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, dry tart finish. (4/5)
I waffled a bit on classifying this: despite the obvious similarities, it’s clearly not a Witbier, and APA, while sort of correct, also kind of misses the most important characteristic. I ultimately decided to go with the infrequently-used American Pale Wheat Ale designation as being the most accurate. I had high hopes here that didn’t entirely pan out, but that’s not to suggest I’m altogether disappointed with this, either. I mean, it does everything it claims to: yes, there’s Piña Colada courtesy of the Sabro hops, and yes, there’s tartness from the wheat. And although the label doesn’t spell it out, there’s also the dryness I’d expect for a Kviek fermentation, and big flavours for such a light ABV. And yet, somehow, the whole thing just doesn’t rock my world. I acknowledge that it’s interesting and well-made, but ultimately it falls short. (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
