Two Twists From Terrapin

Not a pit to be found: Terrapin Peaotch
Sampled: Oct. 16, 2011

Really, isn’t it about time one of Georgia’s most experimental brewers crafted a beer with peaches? The fourth beer in Terrapin’s Midnight Project brings Georgia and Colorado peaches into the brew kettle of an ale that runs 7 percent ABV. Terrapin collaborated with Left Hand Brewing from Colorado to produce a fine strong fruit ale. It doesn’t have the flash of the sours out there.

However, I would argue it does not need any extras, not with the amazing fruit profile layered over a strong ale. The nose could be mistaken for a southern produce market in late summer. The peach flavor is laidback but thick above a wispy, bubbling lace. The body is quite clean and transparent with a golden-orange hue. The fruit demonstrates perfect pitch, never overwhelming any other character. Beyond a gentle maltiness that backs up the peaches, few flavors assert themselves.

I struggled to find any hops at all, but Peaotch does not need them. Using one fruit does not limit the ale’s complexity. There is plenty of lemon, mango and splinters of honey emerging from the peach. The richness of the passion fruit sets Peaotch apart. The peach character’s full force creates an exquisite finish, almost completely obscuring the alcohol with an aftertaste wholly consistent with eating a peach. Seriously, I almost tasted pulp.

Rarely do fruit beers match their ingredients with such grace. Not a sour like New Belgium Eric’s Ale or Dogfish Head’s Festina Peche which takes Berlinerweisse in drastic new directions, Peaotch goes its own path and does fine crafting a strong ale with a dominated by peaches.

My only regret is discovering Peotch in mid-October when its bright peachy character would have excelled in summertime. Maybe it will sneak into the seasonal lineup of Left Hand or Terrapin sometime in 2012.  

Challenger in the Unknown: Terrapin’s Fresh Hop Experiment
Sampled: Oct. 16, 2011

Another from Terrapin’s SideProject series, this is a much-needed fresh hop ale from the southern U.S. Fresh hop is a unique experience, and checking out the hops of different regions shows how no two freshhop ales are alike. Brewed with 2011 Challenger hops, So Fresh & So Green, Green is more rounded than Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest. It is oily but the body smooths out near the end; the hops form a slightly leafy, gently bitter conclusion. That So Fresh & So Green, Green has a long conclusion with many goodbyes is a welcome change.

Despite the fresh odors, I detect none of the overwhelming grassiness, petrol and lemon present in more assertive fresh hop ales. There’s some red fruit, some mellow apple and a nice herbal backdrop to the whole ale. Initially I thought came to this one too late. Terrapin released So Fresh & So Green, Green has but Challenger is not a punchy, in-your-face hop. Challenger might not have the oomph of what I expected for a $9 bomber.

Challenger hops can work in almost any English ale – especially English bitters - but the big complaint here is they don’t challenge the palate enough. It is far from unpleasant, but never pushes boundaries the way I expected. After a few sips, a little bitter hop burn emerges. I’ll gladly revisit So Fresh & So Green, Green has when it reappears. Fresh hops are in the eye of the beholder. Terrapin earns points for using a less obvious hop for its experiment.