Westbrook Lemon Cucumber Gose

I love Westbrook Key Lime Pie Gose. Whenever I come across it, I pick up a 4-pack. It's practically automatic at this point. If the beer did not sell out so fast it would be a regular staple in my refrigerator. I also love the base beer Westbrook Gose. I buy that with less frequency but enjoy it every single time I have it. When I heard Westbrook was releasing a new Lemon Cucumber Gose variant, I could not wait to give them my money. Lemon cucumber water is super refreshing and Westbrook Goses are absolutely fantastic. I could not help but think that this right here might be the perfect summer beer combination.

As I poured the beautifully hazy, golden liquid in a glass I found myself pondering whether or not it was going to be better than the Key Lime Pie Gose. I thought it had a 50-50 chance to top it. That was, until I took in the aroma and realized it would come nowhere near the Key Lime Pie Gose variant. The first thing that jumped out to me was the tart lemon, it seemed to pop out of the glass. I then noticed a touch of refreshing cucumber underneath it. After that, all I noticed in the aroma was a strong note of pickles. I found this strange and intriguing, but was not sure it was something I was going to enjoy.

Like the Westbrook Gose & the Key Lime Pie variant, the sourness of the first sip aggressively hits the palate. The lemon is the star of this beer and comes out swinging right away. Paired with the lactic sourness of the base beer, they provide a 1-2 punch right to the kisser. As the aggressiveness of the tartness began to subside the further I got into the glass the cucumber started to come through. It was met with sea salt, coriander and a touch of vinegar which really brought out the pickle flavor. All of these flavors worked surprisingly well together. Unfortunately, for me, this is a “one-and-done” kind of situation. Due to the style of beer, this outcome should have appeared obvious and I admit I feel a bit foolish that I did not see it coming.

If you are a fan of sour beer & pickles, I could see you really enjoying this beer. If you are a fan of neither, then I would avoid this at all costs. I had high hopes for this one and I am still glad I tried it. Unfortunately, it pales in comparison to the base beer or my beloved Key Lime Pie variant.

2.75/5


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!