Tasting Notes: Innis and Gunn: Melville’s Raspberry Beer

Innis and Gunn: Melville’s Raspberry Beer (Scotland: Fruit Beer: 4.1% ABV)

Visual: Slightly Rosé red, clear with small carbonation.

Nose: Fresh raspberry, cherryade and grapes. Dry malt and lager styling.

Body: Slight sour grapes, raspberry which comes in with the sweetness. Bitter back and malt. Twigs.

Finish: Raspberry. Dry malt and bitterness. White grapes and light miscellaneous citrus.

Conclusion:  The second of the fruit beers from Melville this summer, and I would say the more accomplished of the two.  The raspberry seems to interact with the lager in such a way to bring a slight grape sourness into play.   This helps a lot to contrast the natural sweetness.

On the down side it also means that the lager base is slightly less evident. A pity considering that was an interesting element of the strawberry beer.  On the other hand, the accompanying bitterness is still there and managing nicely.

So another beer for quenching rather than contemplating, but manages a bit of lager bitterness, raspberry sweet and grape sour to make for a beer that doesn’t get sickly or dull, very importantly for a session beer.

The better marriage of fruit and beer then, and still manages its intended thirst quenching style.  I wouldn’t put it head to head with the New Glarus fruit beers, but far more than the strawberry beer, I could see myself having a few on a warm day.

Background: Disclaimer: This beer was provided by R and R Teamwork for reviewing purposes. Many thanks.   A lager based fruit beer from the same stable as Innis and Gunn.  Recommended served over ice, but sod that.  Their advertising commented on it being different from the “Challenging” Belgium fruit beers, which resulted in a response from Liefmans defending their beers.  Considering neither of them are Cantillon I think they are safely not the most challenging fruit beer out there.  Drunk whilst listening to music from Ash Mandrake, fun music to listen to, better still as it reminded me of seeing his somewhat mental live act