Coppertail Brewing Co. “Misty”

Style: Florida Berliner Weisse
ABV: 5%

After discovering our podcast, a listener of “Secondary Fermentation” sent us a thoughtful message, in which he indicated he had once lived in Eastern North Carolina and enjoyed beers from some of our favorite breweries in and around Raleigh, Rocky Mount, and beyond. It was great to hear from someone who had listened to and enjoyed our podcast, and that in itself was rewarding. However, we were also lucky enough to be gifted some beers from this listener’s new home base in Florida. Matt, if you’re reading this, thanks again for following and for your generosity!

We decided to crack one of these Florida brews open this week and give it a review, “East Carolina Beer and Brewing” style. It was difficult to choose, but we went with “Misty” from Coppertail Brewing Co. based in Tampa, FL. This is identified as a Florida Berliner Weisse (or simply a Florida Weisse), and seemed appropriate for the hot and humid weather we were experiencing. The Florida Weisse puts a modern spin on the classic Berliner Weisse style by incorporating fresh fruits into the traditional recipe of malted barley, wheat, and distinct yeast strains like Brettanomyces or Lactobacillus that give the beer a tart, acidic flavor. “Misty” incorporates locally grown fruits, including dragon fruit, raspberry, strawberry, and pineberry. Keep reading to see our individual tasting notes!

Nick’s Take

Our kind listener, Matt, went the extra mile to give us some notes about all the beers he sent for us to try. In the note for “Misty,” he suggested drinking it outside in the shade on a 90 degree day, with 80% humidity. Well, it was only 80 degrees and 66% humidity when Joe and I opened this can, but I did head out to sit on the shaded patio to enjoy my glass. The color of beer was a dull gold color, with enough haze to block some of the light from passing through. The bubbly white head that formed from the pour did not stick around long but there was a consistent ring along the edge. It certainly looked the part of being a refreshing option for a particularly toasty day.

Most notable on the nose was the presence of berry cutting through acidic tartness. Strawberry seemed most prominent but I was getting a little raspberry as well. I also found some stone fruit aromas (coming from the dragon fruit perhaps?) and a tiny hint of funk; the funk could’ve been in my head/something outside, but also could be a byproduct of Brett if that indeed was incorporated in the fermentation. This took a little bit of effort, as the profile of aromas was a bit toned down.

When I took my first sip, it was a nice hit of moderate and pleasant carbonation that appealed to me on this hot evening. It immediately quenched my dry mouth and felt refreshing. It was a bit drying on subsequent sips but not overly so, and still maintained a bright mouthfeel.

“Misty” stays true to the Berliner Weisse characteristics to which I’m accustomed, bringing forth bursts of tart lactic acid, but the introduction of fresh fruits (sweet fruits, at that) was a nice change of pace. Considering the heat and humidity, a refreshing fruity beer is incredibly hard to pass up. While I enjoyed the flavors of strawberry and raspberry, it was a bit subtle and had me longing for a bit more of a punch. However, that’s not necessarily on knock on the beer, as Berliner Weisses typically are lighter brews.

Overall, it was a great drinking experience and went very nicely with the shaded patio setting. If you’re looking for summer beers, “Misty” should certainly make the cut, though you might have trouble finding some unless you reside in Florida or live farther south than us. Joe and I were lucky to get a can sent our way, and I’m really eager to dig into the other selections from Matt!

Joe’s Take

“Misty” poured a hazy pale orange-gold color into our new mini stemmed taster glasses (thanks to the Casita Collab Fest). The beer had a continuous stream of carbonation in the form of bubbles rising to the top, continually replenishing the ring of white foam around the edge of the glass. 

The beer’s aroma was fragile and light but featured hints of sweet berry popping through. There was a subtle sense of acidity in the aroma but this was not overly powerful. In general the beer’s aroma was subdued and clued us into the beer having a lighter flavor and mouthfeel. 

Speaking of mouthfeel, this is where we understood Matt’s recommendation to drink this on a hot day with high humidity. The weisse had a light body that when paired with the slight tartness of the beer made for a highly refreshing brew. The moderate carbonation helped brighten the beer up and contributed to further refreshment from the beer. 

Like the aroma, the flavor of the beer was on the mild side and not overbearingly fruity or sour. There were notes of berry sweetness and a moderate acidity. The combination of flavors reminded me of biting into some raspberries that are just on the verge of being ripe. On the finish, there were more hints of mixed berry and a light sweetness to round out the flavor.

Drinkability of this brew is high and we might have to seek out some more as it was tough to share. The light body and balance between acidity and sweetness made for an incredibly refreshing experience. I could definitely see this being a poolside beer on a hot summer’s day.