Blog #21. 71 Brewing Co Raspberry Mash. Time to put my big boy pants on.

This beer has been staring at me every time I open my fridge, intimidating me, mocking me. Most of the crafts I've sampled have been 330mls, but this one is a big 'ol 440ml.

Ok, where to start. As a teacher, we are taught numerous ways to give feedback to students, and today I am going to employ the WWW and EBI - what went well and even better if.

WWW:

I really like the logo - very cool and I love the different hues of pink and purple. Nice.

I really like the idea of a raspberry and coffee beer. Raspberry good. Coffee good.

I really like.. Erm.. That it is fully 'Scottish'. The can states, 'This is a ruby red sour beer conditioned on Scottish raspberries and local freshly ground Burundian 'Red Bourbon' coffee beans from sacred grounds in Arbroath'. Locally sourced. Brill.

EBI:

It would be even better if.. it tasted nice.

I'm sorry, again I think this is my weak tastebuds and years of drinking crates of crap lager, but I tried really hard with this beer, and the smell is intreaging - I was feeling fairly confident when I popped the can. The colour made me lose confidence a bit - a pinky red - but, I still wanted to love it.

It is the medly of tastes that cross over each other that make me think 1. This isn't for me and 2. This is possible better as a winter beer.

The first flavour is raspberry, but then wham! Coffee hits. Unfortunately, not a smooth chocolatey coffee (UnBarred in Brighton do amazing things with coffee flavours), it reminds me of, and excuse me for the very old fashioned reference here, a cafetiere that has been standing on the side for a day with dregs of coffee at the bottom. Then, in to the mix comes a shiny-metallic flavour.

Again, I must say, my ill-equipped tastebuds may be missing something, but its a no from me.

2/10. I'll try again in winter.

-Ben