California’s Anderson Valley Brewing Co. recently released Blood Orange Gose, a citrusy riff on a beer of a similar style the brewery put out last spring. I’m a huge fan of the historic gose (pronounced GOES-uh) style, a traditional German ale brewed with malted wheat, coriander — and salt. Lactic bacteria give the beer a natural tartness, with the best examples of the style tasting like a cross between a witbier and a Berliner weisse, with the touch of salt accentuating the flavors.
Anderson Valley’s new Blood Orange Gose is a perfect beer to bring to a New Year’s party. Its on-the-low-side alcohol content (4.2 percent) means you can crush several over the course of the evening without worrying about wearing a lampshade. And its light-on-the-palate notes of guava, passionfruit, kiwi and, yes, blood orange will make it taste interesting all night.
Price: About $11 for a six-pack of cans at Whole Foods and Total Wine.
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