Alpine Beer Company Mandarin Nectar

Brewed by Alpine Beer Company (CA)
Style: Fruit Beer
Alpine, California USA

Sampler at the brewery - unfortunately, not that great to me. Seemed a little bland and lacking of flavor. Definately not bad though. Probably wouldn’t choose to have this one again.

22 oz bomber, I’ve had for a while now, and after eating a big bushell of mandarins last week from trader joes I thought I should drink this one down. Pours amberish orange with a big white head. Aroma is less than desired with more a hoppy citrus than any real citrus. The orange zest, coriander and orange blossom do come through however in the taste. Drinkable but dissapointing.

Bottle. My least favorite of all the Alpine brews I’ve tried. A fruity Kolsch flavor. Not good. A lawnmower brew for the winter seasonal? Too light and flavorless.

22 oz bomber purchase Oct. ’06 in Alpine Consumed 01/14/07. Gold color with tiny yet long lasting bright white head. Light aroma of sweet malts and a bit of citrus. Smells similar to their Pale Ale. Flavor has malts, honey and citrus that hit all at once near the beginning of the sip. At about the midway point a sweet grapefruit note enters. As the finish approaches the mandarin fruitiness builds and then lingers.

As categorized by name, style, and desription at the brewery, it wasn’t really what I expected. I was anticipating something a little maltier, sweeter w/ less carbonation, and a little more mandarin. It was almost the opposite of what I anticipated - very crisp, dry, high carbonation and faint mandarin. I really liked it, but I would also have like a version of what I thought I was getting.

Bonus beer received from cbkschubert. Clear golden body with frothy white head. Citrusy aroma and flavor with some sweetness of mandarin oranges and honey. Biggest complaint is the thin body. Very easy to drink and quite refreshing but not complex enough for me.

This is an extremely easy ale to drink and the mandarin isn’t overpowering. The hops are still the star here, albeit much more subtle than their other ales. Girls really tend to like this beer, and hey, if your gal is drinking Alpine ales, then you’re set.

Bottle from cbkschubert; Nose some coriander and ctirus hops; amber with a small white head; flavor with light sweetness, an orange hint, a little caramel, and a tiny hop finish in the medium body.