Surly BC Small Batch Rose' Lager

I suppose the true intention of this inflatable object
is to place the can inside
the flamingo, or pour it into a plastic cup,
maybe, but I
could not resist. 

Surly BC Small Batch Rose' Lager. 5.2% ABV. Lager brewed with black currant and strawberries.

Clear and pink, slim white ring on top.

In the nose: sweet and fruity, but balanced. Berries and grapes, restrained. Mild bitterness, quite carbonated.

In the mouth: Brisk, bright, clean, and spritz-y. Fruit flavors feel authentic and burst rather boisterously upon the palate. Just slightly tart, from the fruit. Ends decidedly dry-ly. What might threaten to be "too sweet" or blasé' is actually not. Crisp and refreshing.

I'll drink a rose' only if there's absolutely no other choice. And I'll always choose beer over wine, of any kind, unless, like I said, I'm in a situation where it's my only option. In that sense, I am quite unlike Surly brewer Ben Smith, whose obsession with rose' lead him to create this beer. When I first heard of it, I was skeptical, and skipped it, at the Beer Hall. (Checking in on Untappd, it looks like I did try it, from a sample, or someone's else's serving.) Definitely not for me. According to the press release, though, it "quickly replaced the requests for hazy IPAs and staple styles like Furious and Axe Man" at the Surly Beer Hall.

Well, that surprised me, a little. Is the beer crowd forever chasing trends, while I'm the grumpy old man, leering over the fence, grumbling at those whipper-snappers? Were they only ordering Todd or other IPAs because they didn't know that the joys of a rose' lager were now a reality?

I'll quote a little more from the press release, from Ben directly: "It's fermented on lager yeast, then finished with champagne yeast to dry it out even further. If you're familiar with the brut IPA trend, we've used a 'brut' process on a number of beers in the Beer Hall like Frisson or DAF. Enzymes break down the carbs, allow sugars to ferment, and completely dry it out for a crisp, clean finish."

I think he achieved exactly what he sought to accomplish. And some people should enjoy the heck out of it. And they should sell those pink flamingo inflatables at the gift shop, so every like-minded "rose lager" drinker can drink it in the pool this summer.

As for me, it's still "IPA, all. day."

From the can: "Surly Rose' is crisp, easy-drinking and pink as Hell. Brewed with a hint of currant and strawberry, Surly Rose' pairs subtle, fruit-forward aromatics with a dry, refreshing finish. Ditch the bottle and pick up a can instead."

Digression: when people give up metaphors and similes and fall back on the lazy "as hell", or more increasingly, "as fuck", they may seem to be making a bold statement, but instead are standing knee-deep in a morass of absurdity. This particular instance makes one wonder: "Hell is Pink?"