Saint Brewis

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Crane Brewing Company – Barrel Aged Orange Gose

Brewery: Crane Brewing Company
Location Raytown, MO
Style Barrel Aged Gose
 ABV 4.1%
 IBUs 4

 

Best Quote During Tasting

That's what Keiths are for.

Justin:

Aroma - Slightly sweet booziness wafts off with some subdued tartness (much less tart than the original).  There's the aroma of not orange juice but more of an orange pulp.  The subtle vanilla mixed with the bready malts reminds me of a vanilla wafer.
Score: 11/12
Appearance - It looks identical to the regular OG. It pours hazy but bright light gold.  The head is white and thin but sticks around leaving great lacing.
Score: 3/3
Flavor - It starts with some subtle oak, followed by some vanilla that is prominent but not overwhelming.  This has much more orange flavor than the regular and it's still quite acidic but not as tart. The most pleasant and interesting thing I'm picking up is a nice alcoholic sweetness from the previous inhabitants of the barrel (more sweet vermouth than whiskey) that really balances this one out.
Score: 18/20
Mouthfeel - Medium+ carbonation and a medium body make this one creamy and smooth.
Score: 5/5
Overall Impression - Yep. Go stand in line tomorrow.  It's worth it.  Although they're retiring the regular OG (shocked gasp!) in favor of a Grapefruit Gose (excited gasp!) this was a great send off.  I'm personally not in the camp of "Barrel Aged always = Better" but in this case, the barrel mellowed out the acidity and brought out more of the orange along with a bunch of awesome new flavors.  And for just $12 ("seriously?" gasp!) you bet your ass it's worth it.
Score: 9/10

 

Blake:

 

Aroma - Much less tart than the original. Orange and vanilla blend together, and behind them is a bit of tartness that plays great with the bright creamy citrus.
Score: 11/12
Appearance - Hazy gold/orange, with a thin white head.
Score: 3/3
Flavor - The first surprising element of this is the slight booziness from the barrel aging. The ABV isn't high enough to really be getting an alcohol bite from the beer directly. Orange and vanilla give an almost dreamsicle flavor to the beer. It's really delicious.
Score: 18/20
Mouthfeel - The carbonation gives it a smooth velvety feel. The body it a bit fuller than you'd expect from a Gose, and that's fantastic. 
Score: 5/5
Overall Impression - I really wish I had a bottle or two more of this to hold onto for the summer months. I'm not sure I can imagine many beers that would be better to enjoy on a patio or deck come summertime. This is also a great beer if you want to introduce people to sours. The barrel aging tones down some of the tartness and acidity, and leaves more familiar flavors which would benefit someone new to sours. Do yourself a favor, if you are in KC, go to the release!
Score: 9/10

 

Barrel Aged Orange Gose Final Score
  • Aroma
  • Appearance
  • Flavor
  • Mouthfeel
  • Overall
4.6
User Rating: 0.0 (2 votes)
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Justin Phelps

Justin Phelps

Co-Founder at Saint Brewis
Justin Phelps is a Certified Cicerone® who was born and raised in St. Louis. His passion for beer goes beyond just drinking it as he is also an award-winning home brewer. While he may be a marketing professional by day, he's a blogger, brewery hopper, and beer enthusiast by night.

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