This brew comes to us from Ithaca Beer Company in Ithaca, NY - impossible to find here in MN so special thanks to Laura Lee for bringing this bottle back for us. Ithaca is a brewery that really strives to create special brews that have never been done before - this is one of those beers that is part of their Excelsior line-up, called White Gold.
The beer comes in a beautiful 750ml bottle that gives the definition of Excelsior - 'Excelsior! Ever upward, still higher, more lofty, more elevated.' I've included a couple photos of the bottle and description in the post - this is a Rustic Pale Wheat Ale that is fermented with Belgian, English, and Wild yeast strains, with 8% ABV.
The beer pours a dark golden hue with a little less than a finger of head. The aromas are very acidic and fruity - it reminds me of champagne. The beer is not clear, there is quite a bit of yeast residue hanging in the bottom of the glass, but the beer is bottle-conditioned so that's not a surprise.
The first sip is full of that dry, tart fruitiness that was apparent in the nose - this tastes like a pale ale that is mixed with a champagne - the maltiness is present but not as creamy as a typical pale ale. There is also a small amount of piney hop bitterness that makes a subtle appearance towards the end. The finish is bone-dry, this thing basically disappears from my mouth within 1 second after the drink, without a trace. I really like that trait, for me it adds to the drinkability of the brew. Not a hint of alcohol to be found!Overall Rating: (4.5 out of 6.0) I am not a fan of champagne. In fact, I hate champagne. Whenever I smell champagne, I'm reminds me of a urinal cake. That said, I found this beer to be surprisingly good, despite the fact that it had a lot of champagne-like characteristics. It was very pleasant and drinkable from start to finish, with crisp and clean malt flavors that permeated throughout.
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