Flying Dog “Dead Rise” Old Bay Gose

Style: Gose
ABV: 5.7%

Joe’s Take

This week we’re mixing up the content and trying a beer that was not made in NC but a few states north in Maryland. The beer we’re talking about is the seafood spice inspired “Dead Rise” Old Bay gose. This beer was so intriguing that we had to give it a try and write it up for you. 

“Dead Rise” poured into my tulip glass as a perfectly clear dark gold/honey liquid. A thick collar of tight white foam bubbled up and slowly disappeared into a thin ring around the glass. I may have been biased, but the beer appeared like I expected, a nice gose that had been hit by a few shakes of Old Bay seasoning. This made it take on the darker hue bordering on pale orange. 

The nose of the brew was quite interesting. It featured the typical tart and acidic notes but was encased in a savory salty spiciness imparted by the Old Bay. It reminded me of a less limey version of the spice Tajin (something I commonly rim my bloody mary’s with) and I immediately thought this beer would be great for the classic beer and bloody cocktail, michelada. 

The mouthfeel of the beer was thin and acidic. There wasn’t a strong carbonation but this was a good thing as heavy carbonation may alter the perceptions of this beer. It left a somewhat drying sensation in the mouth but was relatively easy to drink. 

“Dead Rise” was a little less aggressive than I expected, and the Old Bay seasoning was modest and not overwhelming. It perfectly complemented the salty characteristics commonly seen in a gose but added a new depth of flavor. It was quite well balanced and I enjoyed the mix of savory and sour. This beer would go excellent with some seafood and even better as part of a michelada. 

As much of a novelty as this beer seems, I would actually drink it from time to time. It was well balanced and featured a unique flavor profile that worked. Now, to try the spicy pickle sour beer I picked up at the same time…

Nick’s Take

Ever since Joe presented me with a couple cans of “Dead Rise” from Flying Dog Brewery, with the can donning that signature Old Bay seasoning look, I was eager to give it a go and see if it would be intriguingly delicious, or perhaps a little gimmicky. I grabbed a tulip glass and emptied the contents of the can, watching a steady and strong collar form. The snow-white foam wasn’t too aggressive, but didn’t manage to stick around for a while before receding into a cloudy ring. The straw-like gold color of the beer was very clean and clear looking. Things were looking great for “Dead Rise” from appearances.

What I really wanted to know (and I’m sure what everyone who lays eyes on this Old Bay-inspired gose wants to know) was how the classic spice blend would smell and taste. What I found is that the Old Bay addition was not the most potent aspect – a very welcome and promising start. Lemon and lime juice with an abundance of salty tartness was the most fragrant part of this gose. Underneath the sour, tart aromas was a touch of spice from Old Bay, and I was a bit relieved that it was an undertone versus the main attraction, as it could make the beer a bit “too much” if you know what I mean.

I couldn’t postpone taking a swig any longer, and noted that the gose was a little lighter in body and carbonation that I’d expected. That clean, gold color and cloudy head of this Old Bay gose led me to guess that it would harbor (unintentional pun?) a very crisp mouthfeel. In fact, it was a bit smooth and light, making it super easy on the palate. The citrus acidity started to build up on my tongue after a few drinks, but I’d be surprised if that didn’t happen when drinking a gose.

As was the case with the aroma, Old Bay didn’t try to take center stage in the beer’s flavor. In fact, “Dead Rise” stays true to a good gose recipe – lemon, lime, salt, tart goodness – and lets the Old Bay seasoning mellow out and blend in with the other flavors. I thought Flying Dog found a good balance with this brew!

As Flying Dog advertises, this gose would go wonderfully with seafood. I echo Joe’s sentiment about implementing “Dead Rise” in a michelada, but it also seems to be a great beach or poolside beverage choice for hot days. It went down easily and I found myself enjoying the unique flavor, as it was done subtly and balanced well with the other gose flavors. If you’re nervous about the concept of adding a seasoning to beer, release your inhibitions like Natasha Beddingfield and get yourself some of this seasonal offering from Flying Dog.