Why We Picked It: My favorite Columbia brewery (although Hysteria is excellent) came out with their version of Dogfish's Seaquench, so why not give it a try.
What Black Flag Say About It: "A soured wheat ale brewed with fresh limes, coriander, and salt! Our take on a beer lime-aid, this brew balances salinity with sweetness topped off with a crisp lime finish."
ABV: 4.8%
IBU: 10
Website: http://www.blackflagbrewingco.com/
Fun Facts: Established in 2016, Black Flag was Columbia's first production brewery. Frisco Tap House brewed, but did not can or distribute (they just started too!)
I can speak from personal experience that this is an excellent breakfast beer. I mean if I have to work while I on vacation, I am at least going to have a beer while I do it.
ReplyDeleteSo this was my personal selection for 24DOB, and went to Black Flag to buy a case straight from them. This is becoming a favorite summer 2020 beer of mine, even if its just a knock off of Dogfish's SeaQuench. I wouldn't say its as good as SeaQuench (maybe its the black limes or the style blends), but its an excellent interpretation and perfect for summer beach days. It's well-balanced tart with a nice finish that's a touch dry (but not as much as the Undertow) that makes you want to have (and I will).
Extra points for the can art. It makes me envision a Schoolhouse Rock episode about making margarita-inspired sours.
3.6 dancing salt shakers out of 4.
Now this beer brought me back to that happy place. The folks at Frisco’s/Black Flag might not know how to pick a location for their businesses with acceptable parking...but they can make a beer.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly how I expect sea quench to taste every time. A nice sour lime up front a little salt to help that pucker then a nice taste left on the tongue. We ate it tonight with some Korean beef tacos and the crisp sour beer pair perfectly with that semi spicy-sweet taste from Korean beef.
Very much happy place on this one 4.5 out of 5 parking spot fights.
But send too soon. This is how I expect sea quench to taste but sea quench always leaves me wanting something a bit more. This it’s the spot in the way that sea quench does not.
DeleteFan of black flag but not this beer. At first it tasted like a margarita mixed with a flat, light beer and it went down from there. After the involuntary shudder I gave it a 1/4.
ReplyDeleteFan of black flag but not this beer. At first it tasted like a margarita mixed with a flat, light beer and it went down from there. After the involuntary shudder I gave it a 1/4.
ReplyDeleteAgain, not my thing. With that said, I actually drank the whole thing, unlike yesterday.
ReplyDeleteIt is a salty, sour lemonade. Other than a slight head, a little alcohol and a yellowish color, I have a hard time calling this a beer. But isn't that the beauty of our world? So many different options for so many tastes.
Just because Shep and Att like it doesn't mean I can't appreciate the two of them.
2 of 5 salt licks because I finished it.
Perhaps there is a fault with grouping the beers by style. You get your intolerable lime salt bombs back to back. This was better than yesterday due to the absence of the kelp (sweat socks), but that is all the credit I will give it. I think the first thing that hit me is the carbonation. Holy crap that was some bubbles. And then just lime. It's like a barely alcoholic version of the lime La Croix sparkling water. Which is not a good thing at all. And it's salty. I finished it. I didn't like it. To add to the comparison, Ro took one sip and grabbed a Seaquench out of the fridge. I'll stick with that when I need a salty sour. Which is rare. Since we're talking limes and virusus, I'll give this 1.5 out of 5 lime-needing Coronas. Although that's probably not a proper scale, since I'd only give a Corona a one. But you get my point. Not a fan.
ReplyDeleteJust put tomorrow's beer in the fridge. Expectations through the roof based on name alone!
This beer made me think of lime popsicles. You know, the cheap Costco popsicles that come in packs of 100. I'm not sure that should be a beer flavor. At 4.8% this weakling is not enough to make me forget the terror that was my daughter's sleeping schedule today. I feel like I need to be seriously thirsty to crave more than one of these. 3.5 out of 5, better than yesterday's sour.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, well, I find myself yet again giving a positive review. I really like this beer. I already had a few cans of it in my fridge leftover from July 4th, watching Trump's imperial air show from a lawn chair in my front lawn, sipping this lovely salty, sour brew. I agree completely that it is a SeaQuench remix, and I also really like the original. So, I'm very happy with it, but again, my wife wouldn't touch it (so more for me).
ReplyDeleteHa! I was going to say that I also really loved their "Red Flag" sour, but I just discovered that is actually a Heavy Seas creation. I got my flags crossed in some sort of Les Mis fashion. Oh well, but I also remember liking tomorrow's blonde ale from Black Flag.
-Greg
Wow - did they actually pull this one off? I mean, this doesn't really taste like beer but it is very enjoyable! They really balanced the salt with the sour so well. I can't believe it really. Hats off to Black Flag - they seem to do a great job of balancing flavors.
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ReplyDeleteI was quite surprised how much I enjoyed this one. I was sure i was not going to like. The first sip was really salty, but by the end i wanted another. i may have to make a stop at Black Flag...if there's parking available
ReplyDeleteFor me this is one of those odd beers [- is it really a beer? -] for which the differential between first taste experience and latter tastes is really huge. You know what I mean: you take first sip and think, "i'm not going to make it to the bottom of the glass!". I was tempted to give it to Mary to see if she wanted to use it in the batter for some fish she was frying. I was underwhelmed on first couple of tastes, as I found it a lime fruit flavor-forward teaser in which flavor falls away almost immediately. Anyone who knows me knows I'm old-school when it comes to wine - I'm not at all fruit-forward. I eat fruit but dont drink juices or sodas. Just water, coffee, green tea, beer, wine. I like subtlety and long finish with balance, rather than lots of flavor with fast dropoff. But after more sips and getting used to the flavor I did actually find it quite balanced afterall, although without character. I wouldnt drink more than 1 at a time, but it warrants a 2 because I finished it. I am sure you guys will introduce me to a sour that I will like
ReplyDeleteNope, nope, nope. This tastes like someone accidentally dropped the salt shaker into some lemon lime Gatorade and then tried to ferment it. This might be the worst beer I've ever had. And I started home brewing during college! We made some crap beers. This worse than the year Anchor Merry Christmas Happy New Year tasted like beef bullion. I hope my taste buds can forget this horrific assault.
ReplyDeleteI am a huge fan of Black Flag here in Columbia (note: Henry Rollins, no so much) and as a result I had high hopes for this one, as I margarita-esque beer seems like the perfect antidote to a summer where every day is 95 degrees and a trip the pool has been replaced with walking through my sprinkler in the front yard.
ReplyDeleteAnd....? Well, meh. Was a bit too salty for my taste, maybe a little thin. I mean hey, I won't turn one down at the next outdoor bar-b-que (you know, in 2024) but I was hoping for BF to hit it out of the park, and instead, it was a single. Singles are good. [Not to throw too much shade on my favorite brewery, but last year DuClaw had a sour called Key Lime Pie - I thought it was outstanding - not sure if they brew it anymore.]
Note: I agree with Scott that that can design was way cool. It reminded me of one of the old movie commercials for snacks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw91RJ_m_7g.
2.75/4.00 Annoying Henries