Name: Olé
Brewer: Crows Craft Brewing & Distilling Co. (Philippines)
Style: Fruit Beer (Base Style: American Pale Ale)
ABV: 4.5%
Review Year: 2020
Crows Craft Brewing & Distilling Co. unveils Olé, the first Filipino botanical beer brewed with key lime (dayap).
Crows Craft launched recently the country’s first botanical ale brewed with key lime by supplying affiliated establishments with free bottles. According to Crows head honcho, Josemari Cuervo, the goal was to create a drinkable beverage that would reel in nonbeer drinkers. Cuervo also noted that unlike their other beverages tagged #NotForEveryone, this one is #ForEveryone.
Read More: A Feast for Crows: Crows Craft Turns Six
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as a Fruit Beer (29A) with the American Pale Ale (18B) as the base style in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.
Recommended Reading: Botanical Beers Are Back to the Future (Craftbeer.com, 2015)
TASTING NOTES
Olé pours clear orange-yellow in the glass with no head. The nose paints a bright refreshing citrus profile. The flavor opens up a more complex palate of herbs (e.g., basil, thyme, mint), sourdough, and light citrus, while the mouthfeel is crisp and light-bodied. Fresh mint leaves characterize the finish.
THE VERDICT
The overall impression of this beer is light and refreshing as intended by the brewer. We think this will go well with Italian food and a glass of gin and tonic. The presence of citrus is noticeable yet it does not overpower all other aspects of the beer. Take a sip and you will still know that the beverage you are drinking is beer and not key lime soda. However, we think more carbonation could improve further this beer.
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