Style: Fruited Sour Ale
ABV: 7%
Nick’s Take
The weather these days has been a bit dreary at times, and I’ll admit that my mood can be a little persuaded by the weather and the amount of natural light coming through the windows during the day. Luckily, my mood is also persuaded by good beer. I sat down during a gloomy and stormy afternoon with a tulip glass and a 16 oz. can of “Carolina Blue Sky Sherbet” from Triple C Brewing (based in Charlotte, NC) and had a cathartic experience. Truthfully, I was not having the best day, but once I cracked open the can of beer and knew I was about to taste a new beer from a great NC brewery, my spirit was lifted and I forgot about the rain long enough to enjoy this fruited sour.
The name suggests a very bright and joyful presence, and that is exactly what I found when I poured this beer and saw it in all its glory. As my tulip glass filled, I immediately was intrigued. I normally am not caught off guard by a beer’s color, but this fruited sour had such a unique hue. “Carolina Blue Sky Sherbet” came to play with rich tones of purples and reds that looked very juicy and refreshing. There was a bubbly head that formed, but it fleeted faster than I had time to get my camera ready for some photos. Nonetheless, I was eager to jump into my tasting.
I tried to twirl the beer in the glass a little bit, so as to agitate the contents and bring forth some more concentrated aromas, but it was difficult to retain the head in the glass. It didn’t matter much because it was a fragrant beer and I was first met with tart berry on the nose. The sour component was not extremely pungent or overbearing, and seemed very authentic. I could tell from my whiffs of blueberry and raspberry that there was a lot of fresh fruit used in the brewing process, and was expecting a lot of the same authenticity in the taste as well.
When I took my first sip, I did not find the beer to be overly carbonated but it was pleasantly crisp. I was a few sips in and noticed a little acidic buildup in the mouth, which is pretty standard for sour ales. I think it was a good balance and made for a smooth drink that wasn’t too puckery or sparkling.
The recipe for this fruited sour uses a mix of fresh berries, and it comes through heartily in the taste. While there is noticeable tartness, it gets offset from some sweetness brought forth by blueberries. I also tasted what appeared to be raspberry, though I don’t believe that fruit was utilized during brewing. Perhaps the best part was that the flavors were very true to the fruits and did not taste like an artificial mixed berry candy or juice.
Now, Joe and I always try to advise when a beer we review has a high ABV, as they can be sneaky! This is no exception, as it rocks a solid 7% ABV despite showing almost no sign of it. It’s sweet and it’s sour, and goes down easily. I don’t know what food pairing would be best, but something salty would be a safe bet. I know I could have a couple of these on a day when the sun is out and the sky is blue, but it’s also a good “cheer up” beer on a gray, chilly day.
Abbreviated tasting notes
Appearance: Plum/red grape-color with deep haze but not entirely opaque. Bubbly head that dissipated almost immediately. (4/5)
Aroma: Tart fruit notes. Mixed berries – notably blueberry and raspberry for me. (5/5)
Mouthfeel: Mildly carbonated and crisp, with a little acidic buildup on the tongue and gums. (4.5/5)
Taste: Pleasant amount of sourness with a good medley of berry flavors that mesh well. Some sweet and tart characteristics from the blueberries, blackberries, and boysenberries (producing some raspberry flavor, too). (4.5/5)
Drinkability: Really nice fruited sour that is not too tart or not syrupy sweet. Pretty crushable and I would drink 2-3 of these while enjoying some sunshine or wishing for it. (4.5/5)
Total: 22.5/25
Joe’s Take
Monday means NC beer of the week and this Monday we’re doing a style we haven’t done in some time, a sour. Specifically, we’re tasting “Carolina Blue Sky Sherbet” by Triple C Brewing in Charlotte, NC. This fruited sour is flavored with a variety of berries including blueberry, blackberry, and boysenberry. Nick brought me one of these cans before he went out of town in preparation for the week’s post and I couldn’t wait to crack it open. When I did, I got my tulip snifter glass and poured it in.
The beer was a color that I can only describe as “purple-ish.” A mix between purple and burgundy, it reminded me of the color of raspberries – even though they aren’t listed in the fruit bill. The beer was completely opaque as well, no light was getting through this purple brew. There was some head that foamed up on pouring, but that quickly dissipated leaving no trace and… no lace (I couldn’t resist ignoring the rhyme).
The aroma of the beer was not overwhelmingly sweet but there were hints of sweet berries. The fruit character was nice as it tended to complement the unkempt aromas that came from the sour aspect of the beer. There were notes of a brettanomyces fermentation that imparted a barnyard or farm characteristic to the beer. To be expected, there was minimal hop character present on the nose of the beer.
The mouthfeel was thin and slightly acidic, providing a light “cutting” feeling on the tongue. It was not drying or coating and left my mouth feeling as if I had just had some tart juice. The carbonation was at a nice level for the style and the beer was not too bubbly.
The flavor of the beer was decently balanced between sweet and tart, neither overwhelming the palate. The use of berries in the fruited sour was very evident, and they gave the beer a “mixed berry” flavor, bordering between blackberry, blueberry, and raspberry. No raspberries were used in the mix but to me the combination of the fruits (and possibly the color of the beer) gave me that impression. I was initially worried about the beer being sweet after seeing what fruits were added in the brewing process. However, after tasting the beer I think the brewers used the right amount to keep the beer balanced. The sour aspect of the beer was not mouth puckering but more in line with a light tartness to compliment the sweet profile. There was detectable acidity, but what I picked more up on was the “funk” that was present on the finish of the beer. As in the aroma, there were characters that reminded me of a barnyard or horse blanket.
This brew was a smooth drinker and was not a chore to get down. I had nearly finished over half of the beer before I even started taking my formal tasting notes. The mild acidity and mouthfeel of “Carolina Blue Sky Sherbet” made it an easy drinker and in no way would I have thought this beer boasted an ABV of 7%.
Give “Carolina Blue Sky Sherbet” by Triple C a try and let us know what you think. Cheers!
Abbreviated tasting notes
Appearance: purple, burgundy, raspberry colored. Opaque. Disappearing head. (4.5/5)
Aroma: berry, brett, barnyard, not a strong aroma. (3.5/5)
Mouthfeel: slightly tart, thin, not drying, juicy. (3.5/5)
Taste: brett, lactic, berry, sweet, not too sweet but not amazing after taste. Variety of berries, raspberry, blackberry. (4/5)
Drinkability: Smooth drinker that goes down easy but wouldn’t drink several in succession. Watch out for that ABV! (4/5)
Total: 19.5/25
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