Rainforest Brewery has debuted their third beer (read our review on their debut beer Lavender Haze here) !

This beer, the Crushed Alive Calamansi & Sour Plum Gose, has hit the local beer watering holes sometime early February. Here's the description straight from the brewer's mouth:

Inspired by a local drink called Air Limau Asam Boi (Lime & Plum Juice in Malay), a refreshing Gose-style beer is crafted to perfection with a tantalizing blend of freshly squeezed tangy calamansi and sweet-salty sour plum (Asam Boi).

Embrace the crisp, slightly salty character of Gose, elevated by the subtle zesty notes of calamansi and the delightful twist of sour plum. Lightly hopped with Motueka, this brew promises a crisp, citrusy adventure that'll leave you craving another sip.

Here is what the beverage that inspired this beer looks like - often with some calamansi and sour plums soaking in the beverage. Source: DailyMakan

For the record, calamansi (Citrus x microcarpa) is a small, almost perfecetly spherical lime that is native to the Philippines, but has widespread use in Southeast Asian cuisine. The plums here probably refer to the dried, sweet-salty sort that can be eaten on is own, or used in cooking and beverages.

As with half of my beer tasting origin stories, I stumbled upon this brew one particularly sweltering afternoon. If the beer is fashioned after Air Limau Asam Boi, you bet that was what I needed.

And hence I got a half pint at Locality, a beer taproom that only stocks locally made brews.

Crushed Alive Calamansi & Sour Plum Gose, 4.3% ABV - Review

Nose: The nose is very, very delicate. There is a hint of preserved sour fruits. If anyone has ever opened a bottle of sour plum candy, like Pikin Plum Candy for instance, there’s that green plum aroma that is coupled with a bit of confectionery sugar syrup. A faint aroma that reminds me of light, low alcohol and dry perry lingers around the top as well, however delicate. 

Taste: The first wave of flavours you get is that half salty, half sour flavour of dried sour plums. It develops quickly to a preserved sweetness - not too sweet, but just enough to break up that salty sour profile. At subsequent sips, the sourness leans away from the plums, and more towards a weak calamansi juice profile.

Finish: There is a “cooked” sort of flavour at the finish. It’s somewhat malty, but coupled with the plain saltiness of table salt - very similar to a table water or a saltine cracker. Amongst the cereal salty flavour, there is a mild funky aroma as well, reminding me of a dry cider or perry. Interestingly, long in the finish, I got a bit of pandan-infused sweet soup aromas lingering on my palate as well.

My Thoughts:

A refreshing brew for sure. However, the brew tends to come of quite strongly on sweet sour plum candy - which may be a put-off for some. Nevertheless, this is a well balanced sour beer that balances the sweet, sour, and salty well, without any obviously strong or overpowering flavours and aromas. I do wish there was more the beer could offer in fragrance, and perhaps with more calamansi or acidity in general, but it’s a loveable brew that has its place on a hot sunny day or a warm stuffy evening. 

Rating: 7.2/10

@vernoncelli