Bob Townsend’s Beer Pick: SweetWater Belgian Rose

SweetWater Belgian Rose. Sweetwater Brewing Co.

Credit: Bob Townsend

Credit: Bob Townsend

SweetWater Belgian Rose. Sweetwater Brewing Co.

I’m guessing everyone had plenty of hops during IPA day celebrations on Thursday. And so maybe it’s time for something completely different this weekend?

If that’s your thought, you might want to seek out Belgian Rose, the latest sour beer from The Woodlands Project, the new barrel-aging facility at SweetWater Brewing Co.

The bottle release for Belgian Rose is Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at The Woodlands. $20 admission at the door includes the tour, plus pours of special barrel aged beers available only at the brewery, a souvenir snifter, and the option to buy Belgian Rose in 750-mL bottles to-go. 195 Ottley Drive, Atlanta. 404-691-2537, sweetwaterbrew.com.

And, you guessed it, Belgian Rose is this week’s Beer Pick.

Beer Pick

Belgian Rose

SweetWater Brewing Co., Atlanta

Available at the brewery and in 750-mL corked and caged bottles

Profile

Belgian Rose is a fruited Belgian-style ale that was aged for three years with lactobacillus, pediococcus, brettanomyces bruxellensis, and brettanomyces claussenii cutures in a mix of Cabernet and Merlot barrels. In addition, Georgia-grown blackberries were added to the blend.

Sharp, dry and champagne-like, with a bracing acidity, it will delight sour beer lovers, though it may be off-putting to anyone not so inclined. The fresh blackberries impart a hazy rose color and a fruity complexity that lingers between the nose and the finish.

Pair with

Try pairing the sour-fruity flavors of Belgian Rose with savory dishes such as pan-roasted duck breast or oven-roasted chicken. On the sweeter side, cheese cake or pana cotta, with or without fruit, will make a natural match.

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