Great Raft You, Me and Everyone We Know

Pouring a hazy, sunny golden hue, a thin, off-white head quickly dissipates, leaving just a slight suggestion of foam around the sides of the glass. That said, the carbonation is just enough to tease the nose with hints of peach, chardonnay, a touch of wood and sour notes. Those tantalizing aromas don’t lie. With its tartness balanced just enough by Louisiana peaches, this beer is interesting on its own, but also can play a supporting role. I’d pair it with a rocker on a sunny front porch on the bayou, with nothing else scheduled except more of the same.

Lisa Morrison has been writing about beer for nearly 20 years. She also owns Belmont Station, a well-known bottle shop and taproom in Portland, Oregon.

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The satisfying hiss is what you hear, the hazy yellow liquid is what you see, but it’s the Brett that speaks first. “Farm!” it blurts, and you nod. But “good farm,” that touch of fallen apples trod into autumn earth, a worrying intimation of cheese. The palate, then, is unexpected—a little sour, a little sweet, full-bodied and fruity, with the heft of a big California chardonnay. Altogether it works pretty well, though I fear the peaches are lost amid the microflora. A braised pork dish will do nicely for the pairing or, just as happily, an aged goat cheese.

Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, the editor-in-chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer, the author of The Brewmaster's Table and the veteran host of more than 900 beer dinners in 15 countries.

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