In honor of National Grapefruit Month, one local brewery has added a fruity twist to one of their familiar concoctions.
3 Daughters Brewing, a St. Petersburg favorite, isn’t afraid to experiment with a good thing.
Their Grapefruit Shandy, released on Feb. 8, is a hefeweizen infused with grapefruit.
Hefeweizen, which literally means yeast (hefe) wheat (weizen), is an unfiltered Bavarian classic. Also known as Weissbier, it is generally considered to be one of the oldest styles of beer on the planet.
Poured into an ordinary 12 ounce pint glass, the first thing noticeable was the distinct lack of head, which is the frothy foam that usually rises to the surface of a beer once poured. In this instance, whatever evidence of carbonation existed quickly dissipated as the faint white waves of protein and yeast were swallowed by the murky orange liquid.
The beer itself looked like a hybridized bastardization of orange soda and pure, untampered with grapefruit juice. Despite the hazy, soda-like quality that comes as a direct result of the high protein content found within wheat malt, the beer overall was aesthetically pleasing.
Powerful bursts of citrus and grapefruit aroma fill the olfactory senses immediately upon lifting the glass to one’s nose. The sweet fragrance serves as an irresistible invitation to partake in the promise of its deliciousness.
It smelled like it had been squeezed straight from the fruit, only without the pulp.
Faint notes of malt and wheat were also present, though barely perceptible.
The citrus continued its assault on my senses by punching me in the face during the first sip. It was lightly sweetened with a sour recoil. Tart, bitter and delicious.
There was little to no chance of contemplating hop profiles or whatever it is that we beer snobs are supposed to do — any hope of balance was drowned out by the overpowering tropical flavor.
It was light-bodied with little to no fizziness. This gave it a slightly watery feel — but didn’t stop it from going down smooth. That said, a pinch more carbonation would have made for a more enjoyable drinking experience. It felt too thin.
Overall, this is a perfect beer for a day spent in the hot summer sun trying to relax. Sitting somewhere around 5 percent alcohol by volume, it has the potential to serve as a great session beer for those not wanting to stir up too much of a buzz.
It is fairly comparable to its contemporaries such as Leinenkugel’s or the shandy put out by Illusive Traveller. Though, I’d wager that it is perhaps a more improved and far less commercialized version than its predecessors.
In fact, I’d go as far to say that the Grapefruit Shandy seems more like a crisp, refreshing drink than it does a beer.
Realistically, you don’t have to be a hipster or some sort of beer connoisseur to enjoy this brew. If you like grapefruit juice or are into citrusy drinks at all, then this is the beer for you.
