Wow, Natural Flavor!
Sea Dog Raspberry Wheat Ale
Sea Dog Brewing Co., Bangor, Maine
ABV: 4.5%
I like wheat beers, especially fruity wheat beers. You know who else likes fruity wheat beers: 14 year old girls. Does that make me a bitch???? I will leave that question open to the court of public opinion, but I thought this beer would be right up my alley. Sea Dog’s lengthy description of this beer reads as follows “Sea Dog Raspberry Wheat Ale is a dry, crisp refreshing ale with the added essence of raspberries.” Wow, thanks! Definitely couldn’t get that shit from the name Raspberry!!!!! That description is just about as useful as the “NUTRITION FACTS” section on a bottle of water. DAMNIT!
First things first, this beer smells like raspberry. But not like a fresh orchard (or wherever the shit these things grow). Smells like some sort of artificial raspberry paste-thing. Upon the first sip I wondered WHERE THE HELL IS THE RASPBERRY. Except the obnoxious smell punching you in the face, the taste is actually very wheaty up front. Then all of a sudden, BOOM, raspberry catches up on the back end, quick and harsh, like when your mother used to beat you with a crowbar. As it fades away into after-taste, something isn’t right. It’s pale, like a shirt that’s been washed too many times. Not a good shirt and not a good beer. This aftertaste is actually dominated by a palate – fatiguing yeasty flavor. I personally would rather get a fruity burst right away. Something that causes my taste buds to frolic in joy upon immediate contact. I want instantaneous raspberry satisfaction DAMNIT! And it’s just NOT THERE!
To be fair, the amount of raspberry taste that exists is in this beer is fairly even; I just find it to be in the wrong place. Sea Dog’s description is misleading as well! It says “with the added essence”… WTF does that mean! This is like saying salads are the essence of McDonalds. NO!
Don’t get me wrong it’s not an awful undrinkable beer, it just doesn’t live up to my expectations, especially after drinking Sea Dog’s heavenly Blueberry beer. If you like slight hints of yeast covered fruit, this beer might be for you? If you are looking for a sweet jolting raspberry or a balanced wheat beer, I don’t think you’ll be pleased.