Beerlandia: Stillwater General Gose
Orange peel powder, Thai chili powder, sea salt, MSG seasoning...sounds like I'm reading off the back of a microwave chow mein box, right? You'll either be intrigued or disgusted to know that it's the back of a beer can. I'm intrigued. Personally, I've had enough IPAs to last a lifetime and I want to branch out to the experimental genre of brewing that is either going to reveal some hidden gems or make you switch to bourbon for the rest of the evening. The Chinese characters (literal translations of the brewery and beer name) and bold art style on Stillwater's General Gose can jumped out at me. This is effective advertising, guys. The art compelled me to pick up the can, and when I read what was in this beer, I figured this was a good trailhead to set out on my quest for bizarre brews.
Beer: General Gose
Brewery: Stillwater Artisanal Ales
Country: Maryland, USA
Style: Sour Gose
ABV: 4.5%
Beerlandia Advisory: Chinese takeout in a beer can.
Its deep orange amber appearance was a little surprising considering this is supposed to be a sour wheat ale. The very fizzy head didn't stick around for long and there was minimal lacing. This looks more like a hazy IPA and I'm afraid my taste buds are about to get slapped. This is going to be like biting into a cookie that substituted salt and cayenne pepper for sugar and cinnamon.
“It's kind of like watching Requiem for a Dream - I can appreciate it but wouldn't drink it again.”
With your nose in the glass, you will certainly detect the tropical citrus aroma from the orange powder, and I'm not sure if I like it. I get that they're going for a theme rather than using organic blood oranges handpicked under the light of a new moon, but it does smell artificial. The sea salt is also there along with the grassy scent of cereal grains, probably from the wheat. I'm not sure if I can actually detect the chili or if my brain is putting a little heat there just because I know what's lurking in the depths. It's an eclectic arrangement of aromas, to say the least.
There's not much you can say after the first sip other than, "huh". Then you go in for another. And another. Each time getting hit by one of many flavors that is alien to Planet Hops - not even in the same galaxy. The first is a puckering sourness, which is good since the beer achieves its basic goal of being a sour gose. Your next sips will detect the salty and savory MSG, the sort of orange Gatorade flavor of the orange citrus powder, and finally, you get a mild kick to the back of the throat with the chili. I really don't hate it because it was exactly the sort of adventure I was looking for, but it's kind of like watching Requiem for a Dream - I can appreciate it but wouldn't drink it again.
Novelty beers don’t always taste great.
You really can't fault Stillwater for being adventurous in a craft brewing market that strives to push the envelope further as time goes on. Practically every craft brewery has its own set of limited-run experimental beers that you can only find in specialty shops. Sadly, strange does not always equal good. This doesn’t “just work” despite being a possible stand-in for a beverage on Star Trek like blueberry makgeolli. There is just too much going on here to make it enjoyable beyond the weird factor, similar to ranch dressing-flavored soda. I'm not that harsh though - the puckering sourness and chili kick give it the edge over condiment soft drinks. ◉
Written by Seth Barham
