Finding the right beer for the
moment or meal can sometimes be a well-executed plan, or can come together as
if by divine inspiration. While I would love to give credit to myself or a
craft beer deity, chance likely had more to do with the combination of Revolver
Brewing’s Blood and Honey with a late breakfast (that I refuse to call brunch.)
As I enjoyed a mélange of sausage, egg, cheese, and salsa, nestled in a
tortilla on my mid-week day off, I thirsted for fermentables, and rummaged my
decimated beer stores for a suitable ale. Hiding behind a carton of soy milk
sat a lone bottle of the first brew bottled by the Granbury, TX brewery, once lost, but not forgotten.
The beer pours out a light straw
hued color, cloudy and bursting with carbonation. A resilient, puffy, white
head forms, adhering to the side of the pint with each tip of the vessel.
The essence of the aroma stands
true to the ingredients of the brew. Sweet tones of honey, floral citrus, and
malt are prominent, and are augmented with clove, and a slight spiciness.
When consumed, the ale imparts a
light bodied, full flavored sweetness ranging from honey to a deeper brown
sugar, while a refreshing tartness and bitterness added by hops and citrus zest
balances the profile. On its own, the beer is really good, but the savoryness
of the eggs, cheese, and sausage accentuated a wonderful mimosa like essence of
this beer.
The closest beer I’ve had to this
ale is Shiner’s Ruby Redbird. While it has its fans, I have to say that the
execution of a unique citrus element in the brewing of the beer does not strike
better a balance, and isn’t nearly as
enjoyable as Revolver’s Blood and Honey.
