A forgotten style just a couple of years ago, gose has made quite a comeback in American brewing circles. It’s a tart, low-alcohol ale that features the addition of salt (yes, salt), which introduces a brininess that is strangely satisfying. Gose beers trace back hundreds of years to Germany, but as American beer tastes have grown more sophisticated, brewers here have embraced the style. Anderson Valley’s addition of blood orange is a prime example.
Alcohol (by volume): 4.2 percent
In the can: Blood Orange Gose is quite pretty — golden and clear, with a light pinkish hue that presumably comes from the fruit. The beer smells like a tart cross between Sweet Tarts candy and citrus (think lemon and a young tangerine), but with light, welcoming honey notes. As with any gose, the first and most identifiable taste is the sourness: lots of that bright lemony eye-opening punch. But the sourness remains relatively contained, and rather than mouth twisting, it winds up quite refreshing. It becomes even more so as the flavor segues into a subtle orange that nails the back of the tongue with a slight rind-like bitterness and tickles the front of the tongue with a citrusy zest. Blood Orange Gose is a refreshing and deeply interesting trip.
Drink it with: Gose is a wonderful food beer: bright, tangy and palate cleansing, but able to stand up to the richness of holiday foods. The moderate alcohol and ample flavor don’t compete; they become a beautiful complement.
Find it: Available in six-packs of 12-ounce cans at better beer stores.
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