This week, I reviewed Grapevine Brewing’s Prickly Pear Wheat Ale.
Overall Impression.
This is my first review of a Grapevine Brewery beer. And I’m slowly turning the corner here. The previous writers on this column weren’t over the moon with Grapevine’s beers early on; I assume that these recipes have been dialed in since we reviewed them. And if you don’t like Sir Williams Brown Ale, you’re crazy.But back to PPWA! I was a little surprised to see the ABV on this beer in the 6 range, but it’s certainly not a deal-breaker. For the record, most American Wheat style beers range from 4 to 5.5 percent ABV. So it’s not way out of range of that, nor is it calling itself an American Wheat. Well, wait a second. Grapevine calls this beer a wheat ale on its cans. I am using BJCP style names and labeling this a fruit beer. In the end, it really doesn’t matter, though. This is a great addition for summer drinking, especially for people who want something a little bit more fruit-forward. The dearth of hop character can also appeal to drinkers with an aversion to hops. And lastly, this beer will be a great gateway beer for a friend who says that they just don’t like beer that much.
Excerpted from CentralTrack.com
