Some of the bigger craft breweries have been trying their hands at sours as of late. Most notably was Brooklyn Brewery’s Bel Air Sour last spring, which knocked it out of the park.

Dogfish Head’s been doing a good job of establishing itself as a powerhouse in the craft scene, particularly with its 60 Minute IPA which has made its way to just about every bar in the country. To celebrate the opening of their seafood restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, the brewmasters over at Dogfish crafted up a lime-infused sour to pair with, and use in the restaurant’s dishes.

Boldly touted as “the world’s most thirst-slaying beer” by the people over at Men’s Health, Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale isn’t such a winner for me. That doesn’t mean it’s bad. I’m definitely not saying that. It’s pretty good, I suppose. I just imagine the people at the brewery had a conversation that went something like this.

Brewmaster 1: “Hey, let’s make a sour beer.”

Brewmaster 2: “That’s a great idea!”

Brewmaster 1: “Hey, how do you make sour beer?”

Brewmaster 2: “Limes are sour, right? Let’s just throw a bunch of those in there.”

Brewmaster 1: “Oh right, duh.”

If nothing else, the side of the can is honest with what’s going on inside. It reads “blissfully brewed with lime juice, lime peel, black limes & sea salt.” It’s definitely got a lot of lime in it. I guess I taste a bit of salt, too. But mostly lime.

Don’t get it twisted, dear reader. I love me some lime with my beer. I’ve never been one to shirk a Corona or Modelo with a slice of citrus, or even a Bud Light Lime when I’m on a particularly dark path. But this is a bit of a lime overload for me. At 4.9 percent ABV and upward of $12 for a sixer of cans at Tops Friendly Markets, feel free to skip this one.

I don’t want this to be your first sour. Save that formative, mind blowing first quaff for something that’ll ruin all other beers for you like a Cuvée Des Jacobins Rouge. If you want to get a good sense of how this tastes without investing, just slam some Wegmans’ brand 7-Up while biting a lime slice.

Published on September 13, 2017 at 11:39 pm