Salopian Gooseberry Fool

Hazy yellow-orange. Nearly no head. There’s some weird leaves or blades of grass or something in the bottom of the glass. I’ll assume it’s the bog myrtle or whatever crazy spice they’re using in this stuff. Personally, I’m leaning toward bog myrtle because bog myrtle is super cool and it drives the ladies crazy. Nose is dusty with a hint of floral honey and some sort of herbal oddness that I can’t quite place. Once again, I am forced to assume it’s bog myrtle. Mouthfeel is smooth and a tad undercarbonated. I don’t know what a gooseberry tastes like but I don’t think I taste anything fruity or berry-like here. There is an interesting earthy character that comes across as almost chocolaty, undoubtedly due to the bog myrtle. Like many of this brewers other beers, this Gooseberry Wheat is more interesting than it is good, aside from the bog myrtle which is awesome.

Martin Barry, the Salopian brewer, was a chef before founding his own brewery in Shropshire. Many of his beers experiment interestingly with spices, and this is no exception. The careful mix of three different malts, four different hops, and god knows how many spices, result in a light, modern ale with a rich complexity. Flavours include cabbage, mushrooms, ginger, coriander, oranges, Chinese spice, nettles, and something quite familiar that I couln’t quite pin down: gooseberries? Pleasing though all that is, I didn’t find it that satisfying or exciting an ale. Barry’s intention is to produce a range of ales that can also be used in cooking, and there is a recipe for gooseberry fool included on the bottle. Interesting, but not highly recommended.

Bottled. Doesn`t say on the label that it contains gooseberries but has such an unusual aroma that it must have. Amber gold in colour with a good head and condition. Aroma with the glass at a distance is of peardrops, but close up it is like crushed garden weeds like nettle or dandelion. Body has a sweet maltiness to balance the harsh earthy bitterness and the finish is soft and dry. Weird.