Lake Effect Pamplemousse

Brewed By: Lake Effect Brewing Company LLC in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 750ml bottle bought at Binny's in Naperville, IL; 2014 (Batch #152)

Style/ABV: American Wild Ale/Fruit Beer, 5.0% 

Reported IBUs: ?

Oh jeez, more Chicago breweries? About Lake Effect Brewing: 

Lake Effect Brewing is a brewery based out of Chicago, Illinois. The brewery was founded by 
Clint Bautz and Lynn Ford back around 2012. 

The Pamplemousse is so OG it doesn't have a website...this is a "beer with grapefruit added." The bottle reads: "Ruby red grapefruit is added to our 100% Brettanomyces fermented base creating a secondary fermentation resulting in a wonderfully fruity and tart ale. Savor its refreshing and sparkly nature in a clear glass to maximize your drinking pleasure."

Lake Effect Pamplemousse

This one pours into a hazy, lemon-juice/Lifesaver candy color, kicking up a finger of rapidly fading white head. There is some active carbonation in the mix, but it is buried beneath the murky body. This looks like a Berliner Weiss or a Gueuze or a Radler. Pick one and throw things in that random direction. The spotty, soda-like head retention is unclear in its intentions, and the beer looks very similar in low and bright light.  

On the aroma: not a whole lot. It's amazing what the abscense of hops and sugars does to a beer. This reminds me of a Berliner, with faint funky wheat, gym locker, and sweaty sock. There isn't any real lactic character present, and I wouldn't expect it. This never veers into cheesy cum sock land, or whatever you do in your free time. Fucking weirdo. There is some faint grapefruit and melon notes on the aroma (watermelon), hinting at grapefruit soda. I dunno. Let's see how it tastes. 

Wut...this literally tastes like seltzer water meets flat carbonation meets flat grapefruit. I'm not really getting a whole lot of Brett or funk in this. It's kind of heavy on the palate even, especially for 5.5%. This kind of pounds your mouth with nondescript honey and apples notes. It goes juicy, but more like pear and apple juice than tart and crisp grapefruit. I have no idea what the bottle is talking about when it references "Brett bases" and "fruity and tart ales." That's just outright lying. Come on. 

This is possibly the blandest beer I've had this year. And I'm a guy that appreciate the simple things. I like finding nuances in boring Pale Ales and Pilsners. This though...the mental gymnastics required to describe this beer is rough. Palate depth is not particularly intriguing. Complexity is zero. Mouthfeel is medium-full with honey-like sweetness and dull, watery fruit juice. This promises so much: Brett, grapefruit, tartness. It's like Justin Bieber's transition from a lesbian into a criminal. Or something. Up front: watery juice, honey; the mids roll into apples, pear juice, water; the back end is watery and juicy. The carbonation is lacking, but if it was more carbonated it would literally be club soda. This makes the Petrus Oud Bruin look like a flavorful banger. 

Rating: Below-Average (1.5/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Strong Below-Average. This is just...underwhelming. I hate throwing beers under the bus, but the bottle literally says: "Ruby Red Grapefruit is added to our 100% Brettanomyces Fermented base...resulting in a wonderfully fruity and tart ale." Well, there is nothing "wonderfully fruity and tart" about this beer. Sorry. More so, Brett isn't sour. Brett is funky. Grapefruit juice can definitely be tart...but you need to add a substantial amount. I dunno. This is a huge disappointment at $11 a bottle. I could not recommend this beer in good faith. There are so many better Berliner Weissbiers, Sours, American Wild Ales, and Radlers that execute this approach much better. This flat-chested, apple juice-box preteen mess should be shelved. 

Random Thought: I have another beer from Lake Effect hanging out in my fridge...a chance for redemption. And if that beer doesn't work out I'll give one of their more standard beers a shot. I realize that brewing sours, Brett beers, and fruit beers isn't easy. But seriously, if you put words on a bottle you gotta back that stuff up. This isn't 1985. The 2014 craft beer scene is full of breweries cranking out amazing fruit beers; sour or otherwise.