An ancient German beer style under revival by craft brewers in America, the gose (pronounced “goes-a”) is typically noted for its tartness and mineral characteristics due to the use of coriander and salt. Widmer’s version of this beer, the Marionberry Hibiscus Gose, pours a vibrant apricot color from the bottle. It maintains a tight head with everlasting, lively bubbles that originate from the bottom of the glass.
The dried hibiscus flowers that the brewery used come through first in the aroma, and other assorted dried fruits trail along. The Oregon-grown marionberries, clove and coriander make this beer not quite as tart or salty as a traditional gose and more like a rich adult soft drink without the cloying characteristics.
A slight mineral note and an earthy malt backbone peek through in the finish and cut through any astringency or sourness, making this 5.5 percent ABV beer extremely refreshing.
Widmer bottles its Marionberry Hibiscus Gose in 12-oz. bottles, and the beer is available in Widmer’s distribution area. Enjoy this beer on a hot weekend in a hammock—just make sure it’s served cold. And don’t forget to check our feature on old-world beer styles in our latest issue!
—Daniel Bradford contributed to this review.
This beer is on sale at City Swiggers in Manhattan, 86th St., btwn 1st/2nd Aves. (posted 7/2012)