As you no doubt saw on the blog recently, or our socials if you follow them (and at this point, why wouldn’t you?), you will know that we were at the recent music festival to celebrate Tarpon River Brewing’s 7th anniversary.
Brewmaster and owner Adam Fine has been the face of Ft. Lauderdale brewing for quite some time, as was evident to see by the sheer amount of local brewery owners coming up to him with congratulations.
As we were there, and beers flowed freely, our Producer Steve, lately of Yeasty Brews in Lauderhill, put a pale golden concoction in front of me. Truth be told, I was expecting something in the neighborhood of a Hazy IPA. What I got was Beach Bum Adam (Fruit Beer, 5.5% ABV).
I finished the Beach Bum easily because it was one of those beers is easily approachable for people that aren’t necessarily into beer. And it’s one of those ‘not necessarily beer’ kind of beers that beer snobs have to say they hate because it’s their duty, but secretly they love it.
It was, in essence, one paper umbrella away from being served at classic tiki joint Mai Kai. I checked, and while the Beach Bum isn’t on the Mai Kai menu, something tells me those bartenders can make it easily.
The color looks like a perfect golden ale with wonderfully deep gold notes. The aroma is a less chemical version of the fruit salad you got in your school lunch box, the ones packed in syrup with maybe one piece of cherry if you were lucky.
And it’s that tropical fruit tsunami that carries the drinking experience forward. While the original has grenadine along with orange, pear, and cherry liqueurs, this monstrosity has pineapple, apricot, lime, rose water, orange, and toasted almond.
It is a dangerously easy to drink juicy fruit explosion. Had I not known it was a beer, I would have given this to my little one with no problem. I’m glad I didn’t, and I could feel after 4 or 5 of these that paltry 5.5% ABV could sneak up pretty strongly.
It’s a fun beer. If presented with it, I would easily drink it again with no hesitation. It’s hard to do that at a festival where everybody’s bringing crazy things, it makes me want to try more of those.
But I was able to knock one of these out and for this I am thankful. And I really need to go to Mai Kai again.
Drink Florida Craft,
Dave
@floridabeerblog
[email protected]
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