I was browsing a BC Liquor Store last weekend when I came upon a pair of intriguing four packs from a Richmond brewery.
Neither gave the impression of a winter beer, and one is, in fact, a summer release, but they were intriguing creations with really cool labels, so I decided to buy both.
They’re the Super Sonic Strawberry Wit and the Croosh Pink Grapefruit and Rose Petal Lager from Fuggles, formerly known as Fuggles & Warlock.
The brewery's slogan is "out of this world craft beers."
I figured they’d be perfect for a beer column and to share with the newsroom for our weekly Friday afternoon drink.
And since the newsroom was going to drink these beers with me, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get their thoughts for the column.
Let’s start with the Super Sonic Strawberry Wit, which is a staple beer for Fuggles that’s available year round, even if it has the feeling of a summer brew.
“A refreshing Belgian wit brewed with fresh strawberries and sweetened with lactose,” the Fuggles website explains. “Delicately sweet and slightly tart, this is beer for the adventurous and the classics.”
But enough of what the experts say, let’s hear from the NowMedia team that was around to try this one for themselves:
- Cheyanna: It’s a very cool can
- Steve: I think it smells more like grapefruit peels than strawberry.
- Cheyanna: I wouldn’t say it smells like strawberries specifically, but berries for sure.
- Steve: Feels more citrusy to me, like lemon meringue.
- Josh: To me, it’s the classic strawberries and cream flavour.
- Corvin: It’s almost like a creamy sour. I like it!
- Cheyanna: There’s lactose in there so that must be the creamy flavour
- Josh: It definitely has a bit of a sour feel to it in the aftertaste, like it makes you pucker a bit.
- Cheyanna: Reminds me of the strawberry marshmallow candies you get at Easter or something!
Now onto the Croosh Pink Grapefruit and Rose Petal Lager, which actually is a seasonal summer release from Fuggles, but it was still available at my local BCLS in early January.
According to the can, Croosh is the short form of “crucial,” and this lager is aromatic with lively citrus notes from pink grapefruit balanced with a classic dry finish of a lager.
Made with rose petal tea, it’s meant to be a crushable beer that can be enjoyed on a hot summer day, but who says it can’t be a delicious winter treat.
With all that being said, we head to the NowMedia team for their thoughts:
- Josh: Oh that’s very interesting.
- Cheyanna: Very citrusy, both taste and smell. Almost tastes tropical.
- Steve: Bit of pineapple, exotic like guava.
- Corvin: Very tart and citrusy for sure.
- Josh: I feel like you get the taste of the rose petal tea in the aftertaste
- Steve: It must have some sort of tannins in it.
You should be able to find the Super Sonic Strawberry Wit at most liquor stores, but it may be more difficult to find the seasonal Croosh Pink Grapefruit and Rose Petal Lager.
If you’re lucky, you might still be able to find some stock at your local store, but you may also have to wait until the warmer months to see it resurface around British Columbia.
Josh Duncan is the NowMedia news director and a craft beer lover. Reach him at [email protected]. His beer column appears every Saturday afternoon in this space.
