Pitt Street Brewing Company “Positive Friction”

Style: Kettle Sour
ABV: 4.5%

Happy Friday everyone! We’re back at another Greenville, NC staple in the brewery scene, Pitt Street Brewing Company, to check out their newest release. About a week ago, they added “Positive Friction” to their menu, which is a kettle sour loaded with tons of grapefruit to give it a kick of citrus and tartness. In our experience over the years, Pitt Street has made many excellent sours/goses and it makes it easy to keep coming back to try their new creations. If you’re a fan of this beer style, we feel confident you’ll enjoy “Positive Friction.” Check out our individual takes below!

Joe’s Take

“Positive Friction” an intriguing name for a refreshing beer. This grapefruit kettle sour (for more info on kettle sours click here) poured a pale yellow-orange color into the ever-appropriate Pitt Street muffin top pint glass. Head was minimal and disappeared into almost nothing after a minute or two. The beer was hazy and heavily resembled a glass of tropical fruit juice.

The aroma of the brew did not fall short of the description as a grapefruit kettle sour. It was like I was holding a grapefruit in my hands as I sniffed the brew and I was impressed by how dominant the grapefruit aroma was. I detected little malt character and only a hint of tart acidity. Most grapefruit beers only hint at the citrus fruit but this beer seemed to be all in on the flavor.

When I finally took a sip the beer was sharp and acidic. It had a bright bubbly carbonation that reminded me of a grapefruit seltzer. “Positive Friction” was light-bodied and, in combination with the high level of carbonation, lent itself as a very refreshing brew. On the finish it was quite drying and this seemed to be a direct correlation with the level of acidity in the glass.

Like the aroma, the flavor of the beer was all grapefruit. It has been a while since I have indulged in this particular variety of citrus fruit and after drinking “Positive Friction” any cravings I may have had no longer exist. The sweetness of the beer helped cut the tartness to a degree and even though there was detectable acidity, “Positive Friction” was not overly sour. The only thing I would change about “Positive Friction” would be to add a bit more malt profile to give it a a full depth of character to help back up the grapefruit dominant flavors.

As a result of the heavy grapefruit flavor and bright carbonation, this beer is undeniably a summer crusher. It is a beer I could see myself downing on a hot summer beach day or at a backyard barbecue. If this sounds intriguing (like the beer’s name) get on over to Pitt Street Brewing and give it a try. Cheers!

Nick’s Take

After getting a pint of “Positive Friction” from the awesome crew at Pitt Street, I went back to our table to start the review. On the way, I was worried about beer spilling, so I took a modest sip to ease my concerns. I was instantly intrigued and eager to get started, though I confessed to Joe I had broken the cardinal rule of beer tasting by taking a taste first, and was feeling a little guilty. Nonetheless, I sat down and noted that the sour had a yellow-orange color that was hazy and light. My pour had almost no foam, though it had been a wispy white color before fading quickly.

This beer was true to its promised kick of grapefruit on the nose. It smelled right on par with grapefruit juice with that citrusy and tart profile, though it was a bit sweeter smelling. Since I had already taken a small drink, I knew it matched up with my early tasting notes, but I had to drink again to confirm.

One of the most pleasant parts for me was the bright and exciting mouthfeel. It was crisp and sparkling with a light-bodied feel. It definitely seemed on par with a sparkling juice or a champagne in that sense, or as Joe put it, a seltzer. As someone who enjoys fizzy drinks, this sour really impressed me with that bite of carbonation.

Pitt Street did not disappoint by advertising the level of grapefruit flavor that would exist in “Positive Friction.” The grapefruit flavor was front and center, and it was a bit sweeter than pure grapefruit juice. It still carried tartness and acidity, but in a very appealing fashion.

This sour is so refreshing and easy to drink. Fizzy beverages tend to do that, as the carbonation excites our palates. Even though the weather is still pretty mild, I enjoyed “Positive Friction” and would definitely enjoy this as a sessionable drinker in the hot summer months ahead.