Briney Melon by Anderson Valley Brewing Company
I have been trying to explore new breweries to see what is out there that I have not yet tried. Recently I have had a few brews in a particular style, that I have come to enjoy. That style is the Gose Ale. According to the German Beer Institute, "Unlike any other beer style, Gose is brewed with slightly salty water. It is likely that the original source of saltiness in Gose is the naturally saline water that comes out of some of the mineral-rich aquifers in and around Goslar that supplied the water for the old Goslar brew houses." Gose or Gose-uh, is an ale brewed with coriander and slightly salted water. Almost reminds me of visiting my friends salt water pool and getting a mouthful of salt water. Gose Ale's have been something I have been spotting more and more recently, almost like there is a resurgence in this style.
Anderson Valley Brewing Company Logo
Tonight I am trying a brew from a brewing company I have never tried before. I am trying a brew tonight from Anderson Valley Brewing Company. It is their Briney Melon Gose. Anderson Valley Brewing Company was created in December 1987, in Boonville, California. When the brewery first opened they were one of only twenty craft breweries in the country and have been considered one of the pioneers in the industry. If you check out their website, they give you a history of Anderson Valley, the brewery and the valley. To me that shows the dedication to sustainability and the dedication to the details. Now time to focus on the Briney Melon. Briney Melon is a Gose, and has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 4.2%.
Appearance of Briney Melon
Aroma of this beer is very simple and easy to recognize. It is similar to a Watermelon Gose by Terrapin Beer Company. Right after the first whiff, I notice the coriander and the melon aroma. Another aroma note is the salty blended with lactic aroma. You notice something funky when trying to pick up the aroma of the Briney Melon. The color of the beer is pale straw colored appearance. There is no head to this brew because after you pour it, the foam quickly rushes off and leaves nothing behind.
I am eager to see how the taste and the aroma line up. The aroma is making my mouth water and let's see if the beer quenches the thirst. In comparison to the other Watermelon Gose, I tried before I think this brew blends the fruit taste and tart bite better than Terrapin. The fruit taste note is the perfect amount and does not give the artificial taste notes like some fruit beers do. The coriander taste note blends into the fruit and combines into blissful note. After the fruit and coriander note, the Lactic acid or Sea Salt come out to play. The lingering taste left on my taste bud, is the sour bitter note brine of a watermelon. Almost like you ate too close to the brine. Mouthfeel of Briney Melon is crisp and the perfect tart bite for the drinker, not too acidic for enjoyment. The body of this beer is light to medium.
Overall, I think Briney Melon Gose was a great brew and did not give the drinker too much tartness. Some Sours and Gose have a tart bite that most do not like, I however do enjoy them and find them delightful change of pace brews. Anderson Valley really brought out the brine in the Briney Melon. I really felt when I was drinking this brew that I might have bitten too close to the brine. I thoroughly appreciated the crispness and tartness of the brew. I think if you are looking to explore Gose style brews this might be the brew to start with.
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