I’ve been drinking through a selection of lemonade-inspired beverages I’d received as promotional samples, and with the start to summer upon us, it’s a good time to post some thoughts on them.
Schilling Imperial Blue Raspberry
I believe all of these imperial hard lemonades from Schilling Cider are technically named “Big Zesty” and come in various flavors, and they are all 8.4% alcohol by volume. They’re also all cider-based, combining apples and lemons with other fruits for the various available flavors.
For this Imperial Blue Raspberry, the description says:
A balanced fusion of sweet and tart, this lemonade is packed with lemons and raspberries. At 8.4% ABV, this vibrant flavor combination is complemented by a pinch of butterfly pea flower, giving this lemonade its natural, blue-purple hue.
My notes: It’s kind of a deep pink to purple color, and I was half expecting it to be blue. There are fresh raspberry notes in the aroma along with some hints of cider; nicely fruity. It has a bright pop of berries on the tongue, with a squeeze of lemon that’s pretty mellow. Nice sweetness, pleasant to drink, perhaps less lemonade and more fruited cider but overall enjoyable.
Schilling Imperial Guava Lemonade
There’s not a lot of information on this one aside from the description:
A lemonade twist on the Schilling classic – Guava Lemonade now features even more tangy lemons, blending with the sweet guava for a sublime 8.4% sipper.
My notes: Sweet and mildly tart, definitely tastes like guava, a tropical juiciness with earthy undertones. A bit reminiscent of lemonade though I don’t get a lot of citrus. It also doesn’t taste like 8.4%, it’s easy drinking.
Schilling Imperial Pink Lemonade
Pink lemonade is the classic variant on the original, and Schilling’s version here is the most “lemonadey” of the trio. The website says:
Real lemons meet a top KOALA-TY pink lemonade flavor profile with a hint of hibiscus, creating a wonderfully balanced 8.4% ABV ZESTY-twist on a classic!
My notes: A pink-orange color, not quite pink lemonade in appearance but getting there; purple carrot juice is listed for color. The aroma has a bright lemon note, with a bit of sweet juice and tart floral (hibiscus). In flavor it definitely has the pink lemonade vibe happening, with lemon juice discernible along with a light berry like note. The right amount of sweetness balances the lemonade character.
Firestone Walker Brewing released a line of “Turbo Radlers” under its Mind Haze brand line, under the Mind Haze Rage moniker, which to be honest I find a bit inexplicable as to the “rage” part. From the website, here’s brewmaster Matt Brynildson’s inspiration for the brand line:
Mind Haze Lemonade Rage is our way of turning up the classic shandy, blending fresh lemonade and fruit flavors with the bold, juicy punch of our classic Mind Haze beer. I was inspired by a perfect summer day in Europe, sipping lemonade in the sun, and and wanted to bring that back to the states with a twist – at 8% ABV, this one’s got a little more bite! The whole Rage lineup is refreshingly tart and sweet with just the right kick to keep thing interesting.
They’re all 8% ABV, so let’s start with the baseline Lemonade Rage, which has this description:
Beer meets lemonade like never before. All the flavor of your local lemonade stand with the spritzy, crisp finish of your favorite beer. A unique, innovative twist on the summer staple, Lemonade Rage is built to be ultimately refreshing and deliciously drinkable.
My notes: Kind of an orangish yellow color with a slight haze. Aroma is fairly radler/ lemonade like, with a bit of lemon peel and some lemon soda character. The flavor has a kiss of lemon pledge, and some bitterness from the base beer. I get a little bit of lemon soda at the back, and it has the carbonation of a soda. There’s a bit of residual sweetness, but it’s lacking a bit of character, and the lemon comes off slightly artificial or pithy. A touch of the alcohol is noticeable as it warms.
Grapefruit is often the flavor base for traditional shandies and radlers, and this one did not disappoint. The description says:
Mind Haze Grapefruit Rage is bursting with tart grapefruit flavor balanced by smooth lemonade sweetness. This is NOT your grandma’s grapefruit juice. Slightly sweet, deliciously drinkable, and with an ABV that packs a punch, bring grapefruit rage along for a good time that’s next-level.
My notes: Kind of a neutral orange color, hazier than the lemon. Really nice grapefruit aroma, with an undercurrent of citrus soda, really appealing. Nice flavor with caramelized, bruléed grapefruit, with a bit of a punch, and there’s a subtle sweetness that I like in a radler. Still a hint of artificial flavor but it’s enjoyable to drink.
Watermelon rounds out the trio, which strikes me as a good hot weather flavor option, though I don’t recall if I’ve had a watermelon radler before. The description says:
Crack into this subtly sweet watermelon lemonade beer that’ll keep the good vibes flowing. Mind Haze Watermelon Rage is a temptingly tantalizing combination of lemonade, watermelon, and Mind Haze beer. This ultimate quencher is perfect poolside or at your next hang.
My notes: This has a pronounced pink tint to the orange and seems to be less hazy. First impression of the aroma is watermelon Jolly Rancher followed by a bit of bubblegum and citrus soda. The flavor is following the same formula, with some Jolly Rancher candy, a soda like sweetness, and some watermelon flavoring; it’s not overly artificial, but it’s not really natural either, more like what you’d find in a soda. It’s not bad though and it’s refreshing for hot weather.
