Great Divide Wild Raspberry Ale
June 19th, 2008 beckelA raspberry ale wouldn’t normally catch my attention, but Great Divide makes some beautiful beers. So when I saw this ale at the store I had to pick it up. This is a beer I have been meaning to try for some time and I must say it does not disappoint. It is fermented with hundreds of pounds of red and black raspberries because Great Divide does not joke around with their beers and this is no exception. Pours a lovely bright raspberry color, quite deep in color but definitely filtered. Head is decent if poured properly in the middle of the glass but settles quite quickly, very white in color. Smells strongly of fresh raspberries not syrupy at all, with a hint of malt coming through to smoothen out the scent. Incredibly aromatic even from a decent distance. Tastes strongly of raspberries with a nice simple malt after taste. Very well balanced for a fruit beer, does not seem fruity at all. Clocking in at 5.6% this is definitely a real ale (with fruit flavor…). Mouthfeel is very smooth. This beer is not overly complex but it is certainly very tasty. The raspberry tones can be a bit tart here and there, but it is not a sour beer. Over all a quality beer, would definitely hit the spot for someone who does not like an overly complex beer, but wants something flavorful and a bit fruity. Even if you do not like fruity beers this one is worth trying as well as many other grand Great Divide beers from Colorado that I’m sure I will write about in the near future. Drink the beer and ride your bike.